The Hyperreal Nature of the Trump Administration's Post-truth Rhetoric
Author | : Alexander Vincent Sharp |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 60 |
Release | : 2020 |
ISBN-10 | : OCLC:1196188734 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 ( Downloads) |
Download or read book The Hyperreal Nature of the Trump Administration's Post-truth Rhetoric written by Alexander Vincent Sharp and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper looks at the rhetoric of the Trump administration using the scholarship of Jean Baudrillard as a theoretical lens. Scholars have identified the current era as a time of "post-truth," in which truth has been devalued. The following study examines the connections between instances by the Trump administration that exemplify post-truth rhetoric and Jean Baudrillard's concept of a hyperreality. While rhetorical scholars have disparate definitions of "post-truth" and have identified various sources of the phenomenon, I demonstrate that Baudrillard's theories regarding simulation provide a conceptual framework that better explains the functionality and origins of post-truth. The prevalence of post-truth rhetoric is problematic because it sows distrust in institutions and ideals that are foundational to a functioning democracy. Post-truth rhetoric relies on strategies that are utilized by dictators in pseudo-democracies such as Russia and Hungary to keep the populace uninformed and complacent. Understanding how post-truth rhetoric functions is necessary to counteract its influence.