Truthiness and Bullshit

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and examples related to 'Truthiness' and 'Bullshit' derived from the lecture notes, including definitions of the terms themselves and prominent figures or examples associated with them.

Truthiness

A quality of seeming or being felt to be true, even if not necessarily true in fact or based on evidence; a concept popularized by Stephen Colbert.

Post-Truth

A political or social environment where objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

Stephen Colbert

The comedian who coined and popularized the term 'truthiness' to describe a reliance on gut feelings over facts.

Rick Santorum's Dutch euthanasia claim

An example of 'truthiness' where a statement was made based on a personal 'feeling' rather than verified facts about Dutch medical practices.

Bullshitter

An individual who communicates without concern for truth, accuracy, or evidence, often to impress or persuade.

Characteristics of a Bullshitter

Identifiable traits that define someone who engages in 'bullshit,' often involving a disregard for factual accuracy.

Bill O'Reilly

A Fox News personality cited as an example of a bullshitter, known for using dismissive phrases like 'SHUT UP!'.

George Costanza (Seinfeld)

A fictional character from the comedy show 'Seinfeld' used as an example of a bullshitter, particularly in the context of fabricating stories (e.g., 'The Fire' episode).

Fake Election Lies

False statements and narratives propagated about an election, often relying on 'truthiness' to sway public opinion rather than factual evidence.

Trump's claims about immigrants

Statements made by a public figure, such as claims about immigrants eating cats and dogs, used as an example in the context of identifying 'bullshitters'.