Who has the authority to decide what is real?
For most of history, truth was not discovered—it was dictated. Those in power determined what was real, whose experiences mattered, and whose histories were erased. Governments, institutions, and media control knowledge, shaping reality to reinforce their dominance. The internet fractured this control— as people were able to connect with those that share their realities and perspectives, they were subsequently able to build up enough power to push back on the narratives that had denied them their self-sovereignty. And so, this was, and still is, especially remarkable for communities that have been historically subjugated.
Suddenly, suppressed perspectives had a platform. People saw how history had been selectively crafted, how institutions had upheld convenient narratives while dismissing truths that weren't convenient to the status quo. What we call a "post-truth" society is actually the decentralization of truth—a world where competing realities collide, each demanding acknowledgement and legitimacy.
Who are the gatekeepers?
Before the digital age, access to information was controlled by a handful of centralized institutions. People trusted these systems, believing in a shared framework of facts. But mass exposure to institutional bias and media manipulation has eroded that trust.
Now, no single entity holds authority over truth. Information is abundant, but consensus is fractured. People are no longer just debating policies or opinions—they are fighting over the foundation of reality itself.
What is the role of the internet now?
Truth has become performative. Online, narratives are judged less by accuracy and more by emotional impact, engagement, and ideological alignment. What is "true" depends on who benefits from believing it.
For many, this decentralization has been liberating—historically silenced voices now challenge dominant narratives. But it has also fueled backlash, as those invested in the old order attempt to reassert control. Conspiracy theories flourish, not just because of misinformation, but because people have an essential need for certainty. Elected officials have proven time and again they would rather coddle the population and sustain an egregious, and dangerous, lack of transparency.
What are the power dynamics at play here?
Truth has never been neutral. It has always been dictated by those with the power to enforce it. Now, as competing realities battle for dominance, the struggle is no longer about facts—it’s about who gets to articulate them and give them meaning.
While some find comfort in believing there to be "objective truths", others argue all knowledge is political. Neither captures the dynamic complexities of this moment entirely. What we are witnessing is not the collapse of truth, but a reckoning with how it has always been shaped, controlled, and weaponized.
The question is no longer "What is true?"—it’s "Who has the power to decide?"