It’s never been more vital to be a discerning consumer of information. “Post-truth” took top spot as Word of the Year in 2016, and with “alternative facts” muddying public discourse and claims of “fake news” making a daily appearance in headlines around the world, doubt has begun to undermine all we hear and read.
But even as we grapple with the anxiety of fact-checking an endless news cycle, there is still another reality to face: it’s not just outright lies we need to watch out for. In the hands of skilled communicators, truths themselves can be deployed as powerful and dangerous tools to mislead us, influence our choices, and manipulate our beliefs under the guise of impartiality.
