What is Hypertruth?
You
may never have heard of hypertruth, but it is part of your life. It is how you
are swayed. Hypertruths are prevalent in various domains, from advertising,
marketing, politics, and personal endorsements. Often, it’s how and what you
believe. Opportunists see it as a tool; clergy see it as a sermon; politicians
see it as more votes.
Hypertruth is an excessive or
exaggerated truth that
can take an ordinary truth beyond its natural domain, even becoming false. As
well, it may involve elevating or expanding a minor point into a major
concept. An example would be a cleric taking truths from the bible
and reinterpreting and exaggerating them from statements of peace to those
suggesting destruction and war. Centuries ago, the Inquisition followed the
hypertruth of severe punishment to correct heresy.
The current notion of “Cancel
Culture” mimics such notions for political heresy, the shunning practice of
some religions. Also, the politician may take accepted truths of equality
amongst people into an outright theft or reappropriation of resources from one
party in favor of another. In this way, socialism could be viewed as a
hypertruth extension of egalitarianism. Cults are normally based on
hypertruths. Indeed, Millerism of the 19th century was based on
some calculation of the Second Advent of Jesus Christ would occur in roughly
the year 1843–1844, and all activities were subjugated toward this
eventuality.
Alternatively, the capitalist
may suggest that the company’s business success, which to workers is ultimately
good, is so important that the entire nation depends upon it. Recall the
(mis)statement, “What’s good for General Motors is good for America.” Indeed,
many capitalistic types believe in hypertruths about the sanctity of profits.
In science, the hypertruths of Ptolemaic astronomy (i.e. epicycle) ruled the
world for two millennia. Here are five very popular hypertruths we hear
often.
·
"Superfood
That Cures All Ills"
·
"The
Greatest Movie Ever Made"
·
"This
is the Most Important Election of Our Lifetime"
·
"Best
in the World"
·
"This
Skincare Routine is the Secret to Eternal Youth!"
Rabid belief is often
associated with hypertruths. Not quite within the realm of post-truth*,
hypertruths begin with those truths accepted and extend them toward a hyper-state.
* The term "post-truth,"
originating in about 2010, describes a cultural and political environment where
objective facts and truth are less influential in shaping public opinion than
appeals to emotion and personal beliefs. In a "post-truth" era,
subjective feelings and opinions often take precedence over objective evidence
and rational discourse. This is a recent term following the concept of
postmodernism beginning in the mid-twentieth century. In 2016 it (post-truth)
was entered into the Oxford Dictionary.
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