Post-politics in the Nets of Post-truth

A.G. Kostyrev

doi:10.17976/jpps/2021.02.05

Post-politics in the Nets of Post-truth

Kostyrev A.G.,

T.G. Shevchenko ‘Chernihiv Collegium’ National University, Chernihiv, Ukraine, akostyrev@ukr.net

DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2021.02.05

Rubric: Theme of the Issue: New Times – New Challenges

For citation:

Kostyrev A.G. Post-politics in the Nets of Post-truth. – Polis. Political Studies. 2021. No. 2. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2021.02.05

Abstract

In the context of a new communication reality, the features that distinguish political processes can be called ‘post-truth’. The author considers post-truth as an environment of multiple information influences, which is a product of the Internet and, especially, social networking. Post-political communication differs from propaganda in such properties as demassification and individualization, differentiation, and the variability of information flows; it cannot be guided by mainstream mass media arguments that are manipulated by governments and corporations. An analysis of empirical research data suggests that posttruth perception is a natural process of post-rationalism, due to the fact that in the era of the Internet, the volume of information and its speed exceeds the capabilities of the human brain. In a situation of stress caused by information overabundance, people rely on their emotions related to their core beliefs. Under these conditions, personal moral values have become an influential force in the selection of sources, as well as in the interactive processes of reacting to and producing information. Having gained a greater degree of freedom in the information space and becoming the subject of the communication process, an individual assumes the greater degree of responsibility for political decision making. Moral values, which are interpreted and experienced by subjects in different ways, become the basis of communication and subsequent social structuring in a network society. The author concludes that the modality of post-truth reflects multiple deep individual value attitudes. Post-politics is distinguished by its anthropocentricity and orientation toward a personal axiological code. In a multimodal communication space, it is implemented as a network game. In a network society, post-truth policy is based on the patterns of online networks’ functioning and development. In the multimodal communication field, post-politics is carried out as a network game. Through this game, the social actors with the most attractiveness and the highest level of co-participation get the opportunity to convert their communication influence into political power.

Keywords

Internet, communication, moral values, political beliefs, fake news, social structuring, network game.

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