[NEW YORK TIMES] Should Biden appoint a "reality czar"?

Kellyanne's "alternative facts" comment juiced sales of 1984, so this is something of a self-own.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...ales-surge-kellyanne-conway-alternative-facts

Sales of George Orwell’s dystopian drama 1984 have soared after Kellyanne Conway, adviser to the reality-TV-star-turned-president, Donald Trump, used the phrase “alternative facts” in an interview. As of Tuesday, the book was the sixth best-selling book on Amazon.

Comparisons were made with the term “newspeak” used in the 1949 novel, which was used to signal a fictional language that aims at eliminating personal thought and also “doublethink”. In the book Orwell writes that it “means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them”.

The connection was initially made on CNN’s Reliable Sources. “Alternative facts is a George Orwell phrase,” said Washington Post reporter Karen Tumulty.

Conway’s use of the term was in reference to White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s comments about last week’s inauguration attracting “the largest audience ever”. Her interview was widely criticized and she was sub-tweeted by Merriam-Webster dictionary with a definition of the word fact. On last night’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host joked: “Kellyanne Conway is like someone trying to do a Jedi mind trick after only a week of Jedi training.”

In 1984, a superstate wields extreme control over the people and persecutes any form of independent thought.

 

everyone thinks the things they believe align with "reality" and "common sense"

 

Yes. But of course it doesn't follow that everyone's beliefs have the same merit.

 

For instance.... a small group of rabid homer fans may believe Chris Wood is a superstar while the sensible majority of supporters consider him a very good player -- possibly an all star level talent.

 

It's a shame Senator Moynihan isn't available any longer...

 

Absolutely, that's common sense

 

No to "reality czar", though the NYT likes to fashion themselves as such. From a free speech perspective this is Orwellian.

Republicans and conservatives are being forced to confront that they fell for the crazy Trump cult and are starting to realize that their beliefs and ideas have been stupid and led to the deadly clown coup. It is understandable they would like to switch the conversation to being the victims of cancel culture and that the biggest harm would be to not allow them to keep stating their ignorant false beliefs.

 

I vote for Don Lemon to determine all future realities for the American people.

 

the reality czar could lead the Ministry of Truth

that way we would have an authority to certify that which is true

 

It would be considered fringe without the MTGs of the world amplifying influence online.

Internet awareness and discussion definitely outpaces real world interactions. We just saw that with GameStop and people using options to amplify trading trends.

Concern for QAnon really isn't overblown on the internet though I probably wouldn't bring it up in front of polite company or coworkers.

The seeds for quackery are ripe for the picking. It can shift away from QAnon to something else but it likely won't go away in the foreseeable future

 

Kind of pass the point of fringe when you have a Q member in Congress (there are two now) that GREW more popular with attention on her AND has more support from elected Republicans than the third highest ranking member of House Republicans.

 

It took 5 years or so for the GOP to go from Tea Party to Trump-Anon.

Can't wait to see what's next!

 

Boomers miss the “unregulated” lead in their gasoline.

Burn baby burn!!!

 

You prove that a fallacy over and over again down here. Thanks for the reminder.