Liberal politics frames the post-truth era as an epistemological crisis demanding truth-restoration.

Evidence

In recent years there has been a striking insistence, across the mainstream ideological spectrum, on “exposing” the lies infesting political life the world over. Just as “fake news” became a shorthand for stoking the flames of global right-wing populism, a noble defense of “truth” emerged as liberal politics’ foremost project. The latter laments conspiracy, misinformation, and lies for their corrosive effect on democracy’s fraying fabric and individuals’ capacity for reasoning. For some, this effect extends even into social and intimate lives beset by “phony friendships” and virtual sex. Under this logic, we are asked to think of the current political conflict as an “epistemological crisis.” Joe Biden’s pyrrhic victory in the 2020 US presidential election (which saw Trump increase his support base in much of rural and suburban America) was presented overwhelmingly as a “win for truth” in the war against “lies” and conspiracy. Such a victory seems to offer a return to normal, even if—given the pandemic—this will be a new normal. — Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou, Speculative Communities, 364

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s interest in financialized populism and whether populists are irrational (‘lie-susceptible’) or rational speculators — this ‘epistemological crisis’ framing is what the speculation thesis rebuts.
• ADDENDUM: Relevant to the reader’s frame that populist voting is speculative betting under trained uncertainty rather than interest-blind deception.