We need to demand the truth. We have the technology. Now all we need is the demand.

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Political Dishonestly [sic] Needs Truth Revolution
By Charles Kreutzkamp, November 12, 2013

Never before have we lived in an era where knowledge is as easily accessible.

Arguments in restaurants about which actor starred in which movie now end abruptly with a few taps on a smart phone. Print encyclopedias are obsolete.

Nevertheless, despite incredible advances in technology that have the potential to transform the way our society deals with information, we live in an era where misinformation still rules.

Let's ignore people who deny science. I cannot imagine how to engage productively with anyone who denies that the Earth revolves around the sun. (Seriously, check YouTube.)

Instead, let's talk about politics.

Ever tried to have a conversation with someone who disagrees with you? Mine always devolve into arguments about facts — not opinions, not ideology and certainly not policy. Facts.

Let's say that you and a colorblind co-worker are trying to fix a house, but instead of discussing whether to clean out the gutters or to put up new siding, you spend all your time arguing about whether the house is red or blue. Inevitably, nothing gets done.

This is not an impossible problem to solve. Politifact, a project run by the Tampa Bay Times, fact-checks public figures. Although not immune to criticism, the project is doing many things right. Owned by a nonprofit journalism school, Politifact checks politicians from all sides of the aisle, and, best of all, justifies its verdicts with reasoning that includes citations of reputable sources.

Politifact isn't perfect, but it makes my point: Technology enables us to demand more truth from our politicians and from our media.

So why hasn't the truth revolution already taken America by a storm?

We haven't demanded the truth. Be it because of Watergate or lack of education or plain old apathy, we have created a cultural environment in which political dishonesty is an expected part of life. We may not approve, but it doesn't shock us (as it should) when politicians invent statistics or when TV news blames the wrong Lanza.

Here's the rub: When I talk about lying in politics, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? A lie someone you agree with said, or a lie the nefarious "other guy" said?

Why aren't we furious when those we agree with lie for the cause? Even if we are right, lying to further our agenda destroys our credibility. It's self-defeating.

This problem is so entrenched it seems intractable. The political primary process combines with gerrymandering to produce ever more polarization in politics. Newspapers continue to die out, leaving us with 24-hour cable news driven by ratings, not truth. We have news sources for every point of view, ensuring we are never challenged, further polarizing our nation. Our political enemies are portrayed as insane and vile — knowingly trying to destroy this country.

We need to recognize the humanity of those who disagree with us. We need to hold our allies accountable. Most of all, we need to demand the truth. While some degree of equivocation may be inevitable, we need to be discriminating. We must shun exaggerations and become outraged at outright lies. We need to take our culture forward to a time where politicians and pundits alike are afraid of getting their facts wrong.

The Truth Revolution is possible.

Imagine a future where you could watch every political debate a day or even an hour later with a fact check graphic scoring the accuracy of every statement that is made. We can raise up independent fact-checking organizations paid for by Kickstarter or Subbable. Crowd-funding has proven itself capable of solving the Tragedy of the Commons.

Now imagine the glorious rebirth of journalism when crowd-funded media companies are accountable only to the truth.

We have the technology. Now all we need is the demand.
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