Truthiness

[Steve Kl.]

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006, James callan wrote:

> If you look at the WotY press release, "truthiness" received 32 votes
> in the initial balloting and 66 in the next round. So I'd guess there
> are at least 66 defenders. ("Katrina" received 36 votes, then 22.)

The win is in part attributable comments of Sonja Lanehart, who pointed
out the fact that "truthiness" explained away most of the behavior of
political operatives who manipulated the media all year long -- by
repeating certain commments over and over and over, even they aren't
*factually* true, people actually begin to think they're true. -- As an
example, a frightening percentage of the American public thinks that
Hussein was connected directly to 9/11, because the administration kept
implying that this is the case.

Katrina was one incident (Iraq, another) among many where there were many
"truths" that were espoused by politicians, and as such, "truthiness"
captured what the media allowed the establishment to get away with
positing these "truths" as the truth. And that's what truthiness is all
about.

This is no where near as eloquent as what Sonja had to say; I wish someone
had transcribed it, but it came down to the final vote between
"truthiness" and "Katrina," I have no doubt that her words helped make up
several people's minds, which led to its winning. For a jokey word, it
really does highlight the political-media machine for 2005.

-- Steve