you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] TEDx is the most important educational
TEDx is the most important educational
TEDx is the most important educational cultural event at Ohio State University
cultural event at Ohio State University
cultural event at Ohio State University and I am so honored that you came out to
and I am so honored that you came out to
and I am so honored that you came out to hear me today and that was bullsháá in
hear me today and that was bullsháá in
hear me today and that was bullsháá in the strict academic sense and
the strict academic sense and
the strict academic sense and lying are both forms of
lying are both forms of
lying are both forms of misrepresentation with this critical
misrepresentation with this critical
misrepresentation with this critical difference when I lie I know what is
difference when I lie I know what is
difference when I lie I know what is true and I deliberately stay the
true and I deliberately stay the
true and I deliberately stay the opposite when I
opposite when I
opposite when I I don’t care all about what is true in
I don’t care all about what is true in
I don’t care all about what is true in the misrepresentation does not
the misrepresentation does not
the misrepresentation does not have to do with the statement it has to
have to do with the statement it has to
have to do with the statement it has to do with the person making the statement
do with the person making the statement
do with the person making the statement the purpose of is to deceive
the purpose of is to deceive
the purpose of is to deceive you about what the bullshitter is up to
you about what the bullshitter is up to
you about what the bullshitter is up to so I said most important educational
so I said most important educational
so I said most important educational cultural event has a completely
cultural event has a completely
cultural event has a completely meaningless statement and I don’t care
meaningless statement and I don’t care
meaningless statement and I don’t care if it’s true I only said it so that you
if it’s true I only said it so that you
if it’s true I only said it so that you would take me seriously this comes out
would take me seriously this comes out
would take me seriously this comes out of the work of Harry Frankfort he was a
of the work of Harry Frankfort he was a
of the work of Harry Frankfort he was a Princeton philosophy professor who in
Princeton philosophy professor who in
Princeton philosophy professor who in the mid 80s published a paper on
the mid 80s published a paper on
the mid 80s published a paper on the paper was widely circulated
the paper was widely circulated
the paper was widely circulated and discussed quite a bit in his circles
and discussed quite a bit in his circles
and discussed quite a bit in his circles so much so that in 2005 he published it
so much so that in 2005 he published it
so much so that in 2005 he published it as a book the book became a best-seller
as a book the book became a best-seller
as a book the book became a best-seller and he even got invited on to the daily
and he even got invited on to the daily
and he even got invited on to the daily show and he kept working with these
show and he kept working with these
show and he kept working with these ideas and then wrote a second book on
ideas and then wrote a second book on
ideas and then wrote a second book on truth in 2013 that stuff I said at the
truth in 2013 that stuff I said at the
truth in 2013 that stuff I said at the beginning that’s normal garden-variety
beginning that’s normal garden-variety
beginning that’s normal garden-variety puffery the stuff we say to grease the
puffery the stuff we say to grease the
puffery the stuff we say to grease the wheels of social interaction and for
wheels of social interaction and for
wheels of social interaction and for some kinds of social interaction
some kinds of social interaction
some kinds of social interaction may actually be necessary this
may actually be necessary this
may actually be necessary this is me with my wife Nancy nearing she is
is me with my wife Nancy nearing she is
is me with my wife Nancy nearing she is the most beautiful woman I have ever
the most beautiful woman I have ever
the most beautiful woman I have ever seen
that may not be factually accurate but I
that may not be factually accurate but I believe it which in romances all that
believe it which in romances all that
believe it which in romances all that counts there’s also an implication that
counts there’s also an implication that
counts there’s also an implication that I never notice other beautiful women
I never notice other beautiful women
I never notice other beautiful women that’s not much of a deception Nancy
that’s not much of a deception Nancy
that’s not much of a deception Nancy knows that’s not true but she also knows
knows that’s not true but she also knows
knows that’s not true but she also knows that I adore her and that I’m completely
that I adore her and that I’m completely
that I adore her and that I’m completely faithful so it’s all good
faithful so it’s all good
faithful so it’s all good Frankfort says we actually need
Frankfort says we actually need
Frankfort says we actually need and romance otherwise you wouldn’t have
and romance otherwise you wouldn’t have
and romance otherwise you wouldn’t have Shakespeare sonnets there are however
Shakespeare sonnets there are however
Shakespeare sonnets there are however other situations that tend to breed
other situations that tend to breed
other situations that tend to breed and in these you need to be a
and in these you need to be a
and in these you need to be a bit more suspicious and I like to
bit more suspicious and I like to
bit more suspicious and I like to illustrate them by using famous TV
illustrate them by using famous TV
illustrate them by using famous TV heroes so you’re in the
heroes so you’re in the
heroes so you’re in the situation where you have gone way beyond
situation where you have gone way beyond
situation where you have gone way beyond your knowledge and expertise so you need
your knowledge and expertise so you need
your knowledge and expertise so you need to make stuff up to save face and that
to make stuff up to save face and that
to make stuff up to save face and that is the life and work of George Costanza
is the life and work of George Costanza
is the life and work of George Costanza on Seinfeld we are expected to have
on Seinfeld we are expected to have
on Seinfeld we are expected to have opinions about absolutely everything
opinions about absolutely everything
opinions about absolutely everything even things about which you have given
even things about which you have given
even things about which you have given no thought at all which brings to mind
no thought at all which brings to mind
no thought at all which brings to mind cliff Clavin on Cheers and this one’s
cliff Clavin on Cheers and this one’s
cliff Clavin on Cheers and this one’s actually toxic and this one’s serious
actually toxic and this one’s serious
actually toxic and this one’s serious there’s the boss who uses as an
there’s the boss who uses as an
there’s the boss who uses as an instrument of power and nobody ever did
instrument of power and nobody ever did
instrument of power and nobody ever did that better than Michael Scott who spun
that better than Michael Scott who spun
that better than Michael Scott who spun such a deep sticky web of that
such a deep sticky web of that
such a deep sticky web of that he started to believe himself and then
he started to believe himself and then
he started to believe himself and then he lost all touch with reality and it’s
he lost all touch with reality and it’s
he lost all touch with reality and it’s a joke on a TV show but it’s actually
a joke on a TV show but it’s actually
a joke on a TV show but it’s actually illustrative of Frankfurt’s central
illustrative of Frankfurt’s central
illustrative of Frankfurt’s central point his hypothesis is that is
point his hypothesis is that is
point his hypothesis is that is actually more damaging than lies because
actually more damaging than lies because
actually more damaging than lies because the habit of causes you to lose
the habit of causes you to lose
the habit of causes you to lose the essential critical Faculty of paying
the essential critical Faculty of paying
the essential critical Faculty of paying attention to the way things really are
attention to the way things really are
attention to the way things really are so you can think of is like a
so you can think of is like a
so you can think of is like a drug you’re in an uncomfortable
drug you’re in an uncomfortable
drug you’re in an uncomfortable situation you use a little bit of
situation you use a little bit of
situation you use a little bit of to ease the pain it’s easy it
to ease the pain it’s easy it
to ease the pain it’s easy it doesn’t have any side effects but if
doesn’t have any side effects but if
doesn’t have any side effects but if every time reality slaps you in the face
every time reality slaps you in the face
every time reality slaps you in the face you resort to while your
you resort to while your
you resort to while your tolerance goes up pretty soon you are an
tolerance goes up pretty soon you are an
tolerance goes up pretty soon you are an addict you don’t care what is true
addict you don’t care what is true
addict you don’t care what is true anymore you move into
anymore you move into
anymore you move into darker levels of untruth like scams and
darker levels of untruth like scams and
darker levels of untruth like scams and conspiracy theories and this doesn’t
conspiracy theories and this doesn’t
conspiracy theories and this doesn’t just happen to individuals it can happen
just happen to individuals it can happen
just happen to individuals it can happen to a society Frankfurt postulates three
to a society Frankfurt postulates three
to a society Frankfurt postulates three cultural conditions in which
cultural conditions in which
cultural conditions in which thrives and truth weakens and I’ve come
thrives and truth weakens and I’ve come
thrives and truth weakens and I’ve come to think of it as kind of a negative
to think of it as kind of a negative
to think of it as kind of a negative feedback loop
feedback loop
feedback loop thrives when there is so much
thrives when there is so much
thrives when there is so much information out there that the average
information out there that the average
information out there that the average person has trouble separating fact from
person has trouble separating fact from
person has trouble separating fact from not fact thrives when we begin
not fact thrives when we begin
not fact thrives when we begin to prefer sincerity over accuracy belief
to prefer sincerity over accuracy belief
to prefer sincerity over accuracy belief over fact thrives when there’s
over fact thrives when there’s
over fact thrives when there’s a breakdown in the cultural consensus
a breakdown in the cultural consensus
a breakdown in the cultural consensus that truth matters when I look at events
that truth matters when I look at events
that truth matters when I look at events over the past 10-15 years I find
over the past 10-15 years I find
over the past 10-15 years I find evidence that Frankfurt’s theory bears
evidence that Frankfurt’s theory bears
evidence that Frankfurt’s theory bears out I brought along a few artifacts I’m
out I brought along a few artifacts I’m
out I brought along a few artifacts I’m going to zoom to 2004 so we are post
going to zoom to 2004 so we are post
going to zoom to 2004 so we are post 9/11 post second door and a journalist
9/11 post second door and a journalist
9/11 post second door and a journalist named Ron Suskind goes to do an
named Ron Suskind goes to do an
named Ron Suskind goes to do an investigation on how it is that the Bush
investigation on how it is that the Bush
investigation on how it is that the Bush administration got it wrong on weapons
administration got it wrong on weapons
administration got it wrong on weapons of mass destruction he talks to an
of mass destruction he talks to an
of mass destruction he talks to an official in the Bush administration says
official in the Bush administration says
official in the Bush administration says ok it turns out there were no weapons of
ok it turns out there were no weapons of
ok it turns out there were no weapons of mass destruction that was your
mass destruction that was your
mass destruction that was your justification for war is this a problem
justification for war is this a problem
justification for war is this a problem and the Aged famously answers it’s only
and the Aged famously answers it’s only
and the Aged famously answers it’s only a problem for you because you live in
a problem for you because you live in
a problem for you because you live in the reality-based world the people we
the reality-based world the people we
the reality-based world the people we talked to believed the rally out reality
talked to believed the rally out reality
talked to believed the rally out reality that we invent why is he so sure this
that we invent why is he so sure this
that we invent why is he so sure this will work well because he understands
will work well because he understands
will work well because he understands truthiness
think of what happened in the 90s the
think of what happened in the 90s the explosion of new media and communication
explosion of new media and communication
explosion of new media and communication scholars observe two parallel trends
scholars observe two parallel trends
scholars observe two parallel trends first everybody can get their story out
first everybody can get their story out
first everybody can get their story out so everybody as a journalist and anyone
so everybody as a journalist and anyone
so everybody as a journalist and anyone can be an authority and then going along
can be an authority and then going along
can be an authority and then going along with that a consumer can choose the
with that a consumer can choose the
with that a consumer can choose the source of information who will always
source of information who will always
source of information who will always confirm what he already believes media
confirm what he already believes media
confirm what he already believes media empires are built on this and Stephen
empires are built on this and Stephen
empires are built on this and Stephen Colbert satirizes it in The Colbert
Colbert satirizes it in The Colbert
Colbert satirizes it in The Colbert Report which is a send-up of The
Report which is a send-up of The
Report which is a send-up of The O’Reilly Factor from Fox News and in his
O’Reilly Factor from Fox News and in his
O’Reilly Factor from Fox News and in his first episode in 2005 he introduces his
first episode in 2005 he introduces his
first episode in 2005 he introduces his big theme truthiness and he is all for
big theme truthiness and he is all for
big theme truthiness and he is all for it says I don’t trust books they are all
it says I don’t trust books they are all
it says I don’t trust books they are all facts and no heart and it’s a satire but
facts and no heart and it’s a satire but
facts and no heart and it’s a satire but serious media critics say that he nailed
serious media critics say that he nailed
serious media critics say that he nailed it
it
it Farhad Manjoo writes a book true enough
Farhad Manjoo writes a book true enough
Farhad Manjoo writes a book true enough and he devotes a chapter to truthiness
and he devotes a chapter to truthiness
and he devotes a chapter to truthiness and merriam-webster names truthiness
and merriam-webster names truthiness
and merriam-webster names truthiness their word of the year okay so I’ve got
their word of the year okay so I’ve got
their word of the year okay so I’ve got a Republican president and conservative
a Republican president and conservative
a Republican president and conservative media don’t get too comfortable liberals
media don’t get too comfortable liberals
media don’t get too comfortable liberals Frankfurt also calls out the academic
Frankfurt also calls out the academic
Frankfurt also calls out the academic left which has been waging its own war
left which has been waging its own war
left which has been waging its own war on truth in post modernist discourse it
on truth in post modernist discourse it
on truth in post modernist discourse it is an article of faith that there is no
is an article of faith that there is no
is an article of faith that there is no such thing as objective truth in fact
such thing as objective truth in fact
such thing as objective truth in fact when I give talks on I can
when I give talks on I can
when I give talks on I can expect that somebody in the audience is
expect that somebody in the audience is
expect that somebody in the audience is going to raise their hand and say and
going to raise their hand and say and
going to raise their hand and say and pretty much this tone of voice in the
pretty much this tone of voice in the
pretty much this tone of voice in the humanities we do not accept the notion
humanities we do not accept the notion
humanities we do not accept the notion of truth and I’ve got more of this but
of truth and I’ve got more of this but
of truth and I’ve got more of this but basically that’s game set and match on
basically that’s game set and match on
basically that’s game set and match on all sides that contempt for truth the
all sides that contempt for truth the
all sides that contempt for truth the triumph of belief over fact and by the
triumph of belief over fact and by the
triumph of belief over fact and by the way when did authenticity become a thing
way when did authenticity become a thing
way when did authenticity become a thing and in unending undiscriminating deluge
and in unending undiscriminating deluge
and in unending undiscriminating deluge of information this is the
of information this is the
of information this is the apocalypse we are on the precipice of
apocalypse we are on the precipice of
apocalypse we are on the precipice of losing the reality based world because
losing the reality based world because
losing the reality based world because my generation is hopelessly addicted to
my generation is hopelessly addicted to
my generation is hopelessly addicted to we have given you alternative
we have given you alternative
we have given you alternative facts and fake fake news
facts and fake fake news
facts and fake fake news at this moment there are actually
at this moment there are actually
at this moment there are actually responsible journalists conducting a
responsible journalists conducting a
responsible journalists conducting a serious conversation about how when the
serious conversation about how when the
serious conversation about how when the President of the United States makes up
President of the United States makes up
President of the United States makes up some crazy stuff should you take him
some crazy stuff should you take him
some crazy stuff should you take him seriously or literally that is
seriously or literally that is
seriously or literally that is about people we have achieved
[Applause]
[Applause] that is about we have
that is about we have
that is about we have achieved Metta but I have a
achieved Metta but I have a
achieved Metta but I have a growing sense that there’s a younger
growing sense that there’s a younger
growing sense that there’s a younger generation still paying attention I was
generation still paying attention I was
generation still paying attention I was very impressed how you all reacted to
very impressed how you all reacted to
very impressed how you all reacted to the Bowling Green massacre
the Bowling Green massacre
the Bowling Green massacre I believe you can save the world by
I believe you can save the world by
I believe you can save the world by making war on and I want to
making war on and I want to
making war on and I want to talk about how you do it defend truth
talk about how you do it defend truth
talk about how you do it defend truth when somebody decides I do not accept
when somebody decides I do not accept
when somebody decides I do not accept the notion of truth it’s just that it’s
the notion of truth it’s just that it’s
the notion of truth it’s just that it’s just a decision you can work for truth
just a decision you can work for truth
just a decision you can work for truth it’s hard you have to pay close
it’s hard you have to pay close
it’s hard you have to pay close attention you have to work with your own
attention you have to work with your own
attention you have to work with your own biases and misperceptions and you will
biases and misperceptions and you will
biases and misperceptions and you will often be uncertain but you will always
often be uncertain but you will always
often be uncertain but you will always know when something is definitely not
know when something is definitely not
know when something is definitely not true do your homework
true do your homework
true do your homework we college professors we teach you how
we college professors we teach you how
we college professors we teach you how to source information that is not just
to source information that is not just
to source information that is not just an academic skill that is a life skill
an academic skill that is a life skill
an academic skill that is a life skill and if what you know about your world
and if what you know about your world
and if what you know about your world comes from surfing Breitbart or HuffPost
comes from surfing Breitbart or HuffPost
comes from surfing Breitbart or HuffPost or watching guys yell at each other in
or watching guys yell at each other in
or watching guys yell at each other in cable TV you are hanging out in the
cable TV you are hanging out in the
cable TV you are hanging out in the crack houses of addiction learn
crack houses of addiction learn
crack houses of addiction learn to argue and I mean argument in the
to argue and I mean argument in the
to argue and I mean argument in the classical sense an argument is a
classical sense an argument is a
classical sense an argument is a discussion between people of divergent
discussion between people of divergent
discussion between people of divergent views who are prepared to work on an
views who are prepared to work on an
views who are prepared to work on an issue until they can figure out what is
issue until they can figure out what is
issue until they can figure out what is true we suck at this right now we have
true we suck at this right now we have
true we suck at this right now we have stuff that looks like argument its
stuff that looks like argument its
stuff that looks like argument its debate it’s propaganda its advocacy it
debate it’s propaganda its advocacy it
debate it’s propaganda its advocacy it is about beating up your opponent it’s
is about beating up your opponent it’s
is about beating up your opponent it’s about winning it is not about finding
about winning it is not about finding
about winning it is not about finding out what’s true learn to listen learn to
out what’s true learn to listen learn to
out what’s true learn to listen learn to ask good questions look for mistakes
ask good questions look for mistakes
ask good questions look for mistakes especially your own argument is how you
especially your own argument is how you
especially your own argument is how you test your ideas and your integrity and
test your ideas and your integrity and
test your ideas and your integrity and especially it’s how you suss out
especially it’s how you suss out
especially it’s how you suss out and as you gain confidence in
and as you gain confidence in
and as you gain confidence in argument have the courage to break
argument have the courage to break
argument have the courage to break silence there is a reason why when you
silence there is a reason why when you
silence there is a reason why when you were a kid we told you that story about
were a kid we told you that story about
were a kid we told you that story about the Emperor’s New Clothes
the Emperor’s New Clothes
the Emperor’s New Clothes and isn’t that actually a great reason
and isn’t that actually a great reason
and isn’t that actually a great reason to have a college education
to have a college education
to have a college education mean you may not end up with the career
mean you may not end up with the career
mean you may not end up with the career that you want you may change course six
that you want you may change course six
that you want you may change course six or seven times but find some great minds
or seven times but find some great minds
or seven times but find some great minds and you should come out of school with a
and you should come out of school with a
and you should come out of school with a well-functioning detector and
well-functioning detector and
well-functioning detector and when you do I have a mission for you
when you do I have a mission for you
when you do I have a mission for you after all only you can prevent
after all only you can prevent
after all only you can prevent wildfires thank you very much for
wildfires thank you very much for
wildfires thank you very much for listening
listening
listening [Applause]
”
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