The Trouble with Fibbles
The trouble with Fibbles! ←?? The problem with lies—lies not in believing them, but in not being able to trust anything, anymore.
The above statement contains a nod to 1960s pop culture. The arrow and emoji form a meta-semiotic signpost, directing readers to an inter-textual reference from the original Star Trek series. Specifically, the 1967 episode, The Trouble with Tribbles. Tribbles were fuzzy feel-good little darlings. The issue is their rapid multiplication, resembling bunnies on both Viagra and steroids. Their breeding prowess created many issues for the Enterprise, one of which was clogging up the life-support system aboard the ship.
Today, lies are clogging up our information ecosystem blocking out the scenery breaking our minds, creating existential problems for democracy. Information technology is acting as a force multiplier for disinformation and misinformation, allowing it “to boldly go” where nothing has gone before: infecting our zeitgeist, demolishing our mores, and leaving us open to ideological subversion and conversion. Echo chambers and algorithmic filter bubbles not only control what we see but also isolate us, bombarding us with radicalising, emotionally charged content. The rage machine thrives, growing fat off our emotional chattel.
Another problem that stems from the shattering of social cohesion and trust is events like we are witnessing in various countries now: violence, thuggery, mayhem, murders, arson… History shows that such breakdowns often provide the pretext for authoritarian responses, with freedoms curtailed under the banner of 'restoring order.'
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The question is, will we recognise the Tribbles behind our troubles before their fibbles consume and subvert our shared reality—or will we stand by as our system collapses under the insidious weight of a Post-Truth world filled with bullshit? ????
Cave de bullshit: bullshit ardet! Beware of bullshit: bullshit burns!