• La Civiltà Cattolica
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
No Result
View All Result

Home 2008

A Breach in the Way we Think About Reality

Diego Fares SJbyDiego Fares SJ
July 28, 2020
in 2008, Church Thought, Culture, Edition, Full Text Article, Subscriber Only Articles, THE UNIVERSALISM OF THE BIBLE
0
Kayla Velasquez/Unsplash, CC BY-SA
0
SHARES
5
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The question of post-truth goes beyond the definition in the Oxford English Dictionary: “Objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal beliefs.”[1] The so-called “objective facts” imply the possibility of being recorded and quantified. Today we see that the possibility of quantifying in real time the truth as to whether or not a large number of people approving of a statement or fact can, in fact, transform that “quantified emotion” into something “real” in terms of “public image” and “votes” for or against what is approved or disapproved.

In the same way, the speed with which Covid-19 has spread makes measuring its “objective” data – how many people are reported infected, how many are likely to be infected according to various projective models and so on – a very complex matter. Yet the real threat of the virus has restored, over that of “opinions,” the value of scientific data, however complex and hypothetical it may be.

This is what we are experiencing. While the virulence of fake news over the past few years has made us feel that “reality is crumbling,” the deadly virulence of Covid-19 has made us realize that “post-truth is also crumbling.” If previously so-called “objective” reality gave way under the impact of false news, now everything yields: the reality of life because of illness and death; “scientific” news because we cannot measure and objectify it; false news because its effect lasts briefly, until we find a way to neutralize the virus.

The social distancing that has been imposed on us seems destined to last. It is not just a crack that opens up by physically distancing ourselves from others, but a rift that stands in the way of everything. It makes us take a step back and critically rethink everything we have created, what we do and say.

Reality has given way

The Death of Truth is the title of a book by New York Times journalist Michiko Kakutani.[2] Two years ago, quoting Jorge Luis Borges, she provided an aesthetic key to her merciless analysis of the manipulation of information as an instrument of power in the Trump era. To argue her thesis, she cited a story by Borges, Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius.

“Almost immediately reality gave ground on more than one point,” Borges wrote. “The truth is that it hankered to give ground. Ten years ago, any symmetrical system whatsoever which gave the appearance of order – dialectical materialism, anti-Semitism, Nazism – was enough to fascinate people. Why not fall under the spell of Tlön and submit to the minute and vast evidence of an ordered planet?”[3]

This article is reserved for paid subscribers. Please subscribe to continue reading this article
Subscribe

Welcome to
La Civiltà Cattolica !
This article is reserved for paid subscribers
Please login or subscribe to continue reading this article
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE
What is La Civiltà Cattolica?

Tags: Alisyn CamerotaEdward SaidFBIFederal Bureau of InvestigationJean BaudrillardJorge Luis BorgesMichiko KakutaniNewt GingrichOrbis TertiusPaweł Zerkapopulistspost-Christian societypost-truthPresident Donald TrumpRita SegatoTlönUqbar
Previous Post

What Does the Future Hold for Europe?

Next Post

Beethoven: “To play without passion is inexcusable”

Diego Fares SJ

Diego Fares SJ

Member of the editorial board of La Civiltà Cattolica

Related Posts

The Black Sea: Its history, geopolitics and economics
Economics

The Black Sea: Its history, geopolitics and economics

byGiovanni Sale, SJ
July 4, 2022
The ethical value of access to water
1906

Water has no Enemy: The ethical value of access to water

byAgbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ
June 30, 2022
God, the Artist and the Creative Spirit
Art

God, the Artist and the Creative Spirit

byGeorg Maria Roers, SJ
June 30, 2022
sacred heart of jesus
Church Life

The Heart of Christ in the Liturgy

byEnrico Cattaneo, SJ
June 28, 2022
The Beauty Of The Cross
Canon Law

The Beauty Of The Cross

byAndrea Dall'Asta, SJ
June 22, 2022
Next Post
Beethoven

Beethoven: "To play without passion is inexcusable"

Premium Content

A male specimen of Green-underside Blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche alexis)

Fragile: A new imagery of progress

February 17, 2021
Dom Hélder Câmara

Dom Hélder Câmara: A Sign of Contradiction

February 10, 2017
‘The Girl with the Leica’ by Helena Janeczek

‘The Girl with the Leica’ by Helena Janeczek

September 24, 2019

Browse by Category

Subscription Offers

BEATUS POPULUS CUIUS DOMINUS DEUS EIUS

The most respected digital Catholic journal from Rome. A must-read on all the present issues alive in the Church. Discover top Church scholars interpreting the history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith.

Categories

  Editions
  Church Thought
  Authors
  Church 
 
  Culture
  Perspective Series
  Politics & Socitey

 

About Us

   Contact Us
   La Civiltà Cattolica  
   China Forum
   Feedback
   Terms & Conditions
   Privacy Policy
    Email : [email protected]
My IP Address : 34.239.167.149
Facebook Twitter Instagram

© Union of Catholic Asian News 2022 | All Rights Reserved.
Except for any fair dealing permitted under the Hong Kong Copyright Ordinance, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
SUBSCRIBE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Login
  • Sign Up
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

laciviltacattolica.com uses cookies and similar technologies to optimize the user experience,  analyze site traffic and communicate with subscribers. To read more about how we use cookies and how you can control them click on settings, or click Accept to start browsing our site.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.