In this chapter, Charleston discusses the important role that truth plays in our political systems. If political systems are fueled by the quest for power rather than the search for the truth, they’ll be unable to direct and support the collective action necessary to combat pressing problems like climate change. In fact, they might even serve to obscure or deny the existence of those problems. In order to work together to fix any situation, people need to share an understanding both of the problem and of the best way to fix it, and unless that understanding is more or less true, the collective work will be ineffective.
Unfortunately, polarizing politics and culture wars have eroded our ability to share a set of trusted information sources and so undermined our ability to appeal to a common set of facts. Everyone, I suppose, agrees that truth is important. What we don’t always agree about is where the truth can be found or what the truth is. That’s the curse of truth decay: https://www.rand.org/research/projects/truth-decay.html . But there might be ways to counter it. Engaging in “pro-truth” work could be an exciting project!
Charleston says, "To prevent this injustice, we must shire enough light on political systems to make them transparent." (p123). This maybe the "pro-truth" campaign that we need. We talked the day we met about how to make change. Perhaps this is what a group of intelligent, thoughtful people could do- spread truth.
I like your idea of a "pro-truth project." It made me think back to Chapter 3, Hope.
"Hope is a light that darkness can never contain."
When I look at all that from the Native American experience, especially the Trail of Tears, I'm reminded that we can face dark times and keep our inner light and hope.
Sometimes recalling that may be just enough to help us carry on, despite the odds, in your suggested "pro-truth."