In his new book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, the bestselling author turns his attention to the problems we face today. Here, he argues that ‘fake news’ is much older than Facebook
Homo sapiens
conquered this planet thanks above all to the unique human ability to
create and spread fictions. We are the only mammals that can
cooperate with numerous strangers because only we can invent
fictional stories, spread them around, and convince millions of
others to believe in them.
There's no blaming
Trump
for this human
accomp-
lishment: believing
whatever we please.
Reading our history most clearly shows
it is our species' defining disease.
Some lies are brand new,
some are so old
that they no longer need to be told.
Can a new thing be true?
Probably not.
When we're shown “proof”,
we answer, “So what?”
(Everything's true,
everything's false.
There is no diff
betwixt foxtrot and waltz.)
STILL. . .it is “true” —
believe what you will —
some things are true-ish,
others pig swill.
It may depend,
in the short run,
on who is the victim
and who's got the
gun.
Although it may
make wussies wince
bullets have often
been known to convince.