Monday, September 10, 2012

Truth, Lies, Politics, and the Press, in Three Acts

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http://m.theatlantic.com/politics/print/2012/08/truth-lies-politics-and-the-press-in-three-acts/261297/

Catching up on several related indicators, which together might point toward a positive and potentially major development in journalism and public life.

1) An excellent item this week by The Atlantic's Garance Franke-Ruta, in turn citing one by Alec MacGillis in The New Republic. Both explain why the realities of modern "post-truth" politics will sooner or later force the press out of its preferred, comfortable pose of "balance," if it is to come close to doing its fundamental job of describing reality. When some people in public life are willing to lie, and to keep on lying even when the bald falseness is exposed, the press should take on an affirmative responsibility to remind readers what the "truth" is. So these items argue, and I agree.

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