Bob Schwartz

Note: Originally I used the word “bullshit” instead of “nonsense”. Even if many of us use the word regularly, it does have a harsh ring. Feel free, when you read “nonsense” to make the substitution.

I am not an expert on the impact of truth and nonsense in public life. I am, however, familiar with both.

For this purpose, I define truth as reasonable, rational, well-informed and even-handed discussion of actuality. Nonsense is discussion that is untruthful, ill-informed, illogical and driven by ideology. Of course many things don’t and can’t neatly fit into those categories. But for this purpose, they will serve.

The premise is that there is always a ratio of the two. Society, the nation, the world are more livable and workable when that ratio is at a certain point. If the ratio of truth to nonsense gets too low—say one part truth to two or three parts nonsense—trouble is on the way, or has already arrived.

That ratio has reached a critically low point in American public life. It shouldn’t be necessary to list the many examples. One election and one major public figure should be enough.

When nonsense overwhelms truth, rather than it just being an unavoidable and unhelpful element, the consequences can be dire and unpredictable. People who value truth grow discouraged and demoralized. People begin to wonder whether truth is achievable or worthwhile pursuing. People begin to think that nonsense in public life isn’t as bad as some say. In fact, for them nonsense may be the most expedient way to reach certain goals.

History is filled with times the truth/nonsense ratio has hit dangerously low levels, sometimes with truth practically disappearing. The outcomes have been tragic.

Is there a rebalancing remedy? I am a sworn optimist. But we can’t ignore that the former president was found to have told more than 10,000 lies during four years in office. That’s an average of about ten lies a day. He’s kept up the pace after leaving office, even under oath. And he’s running again, talking nonsense and having powerful people talk nonsense for him.

What can you do? Speak truth (reasonable, rational, well-informed, even-handed). Encourage and praise truth and truth telling. Discourage, uncover, dispute, politely criticize, aggressively condemn (as appropriate) nonsense, whoever and wherever.

© 2024 by Bob Schwartz