Politics the world over, and probably in all history, has always fed on incessant lies and half truths. However, the proliferation of the mass “media media-social media” convergence has engendered an explosive and domineering twist. This falls into what some thinkers now refer to as the “post-truth” era, revealing an historical angle to the pertinent subject matter. According to the Oxford dictionary “Post-truth” denote “circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” It is herein acknowledged that even though post-truth concept got its initial impetus from the US’ Nixonian Watergate scandal of the early 1970s, it climaxed during the 2016 Trump and Brexit campaigns, and now its synthesis blooms globally. The objective of the paper is to put the idea of post-truth into Kenyan perspective, construing the media-politics nexus there from. To achieve this, a history of colonial and post colonial systems of lies- “political-metamendacity matrix” PMM) is traced. It is established that the current wave of political lies in Kenya is a product of the very foundations of the state edifice, not only exacerbated by contemporary information implosion but also the myriad digital opportunities. The paper brings Kenya into the ongoing global conversation on the existence, meaning and ramification of the “post-truth.”
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Metamendacity-subjugationism nexus
- Colonialism
- Neo-colonialism
- Neoliberalism
- The reformed background!
- Metamendacity and epistemic domination
- Ethnocentrism
- And now..
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper investigates the concept of "post-truth" within the context of Kenyan politics, examining the media-politics nexus and its historical roots in colonial and post-colonial systems of lies. It aims to demonstrate that the current wave of political lies in Kenya is deeply embedded in the state's foundation, exacerbated by contemporary information implosion and digital opportunities.
- The historical evolution of political lies in Kenya, from colonial times to the present day
- The role of the media in shaping public opinion and its relationship with political power
- The influence of colonialism and neo-colonialism in perpetuating a culture of "metamendacity" in Kenya
- The impact of digital technologies on the spread of misinformation and the manipulation of public discourse
- The enduring nature of "post-truth" as a historic symbol of good versus evil, deeply rooted in Kenyan society.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction delves into the Oxford Dictionary's definition of "post-truth" and its historical evolution, drawing parallels to Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty Four" and the manipulation of information in the Bush Administration after the 9/11 attacks. It highlights the use of "post-truth" in the context of the Brexit vote and the U.S. presidential election, emphasizing the influence of persuasive rhetoric and the role of digital channels in disseminating it. It also discusses the problematic nature of "utopian dreams" in relation to globalized free trade and borderless movements of labor, arguing that these concepts are not utopian and have been ingrained in the neoliberal world for decades. It concludes by suggesting that the use of "post-truth" rhetoric signifies a potential revolution in the offing.
The chapter "Metamendacity-subjugationism nexus" examines the historical development of political lies in Kenya, focusing on the interconnectedness of colonialism, neo-colonialism, and "metamendacity." It highlights the role of institutionalized ethnocentrism, corruption, and the abuse of power in perpetuating a culture of lies, particularly in the post-independence period. The chapter also discusses the failure of the "Truth Justice and Reconciliation" initiative to address historical injustices and the persistence of a "political-metamendacity matrix" (PMM) in Kenyan society.
The chapter "Colonialism" explores the exploitative nature of British colonialism in Kenya, emphasizing the systematic suppression of Kenyan people and the violation of their rights. It delves into the "Maasai Agreements," which the author argues were fraudulent and used to dispossess the Maasai of their land. The chapter also examines the use of mandatory labor laws, the declaration of a state of emergency, and the brutal suppression of the Mau Mau rebellion. It concludes by discussing the legacy of colonialism in shaping Kenya's current political landscape.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper explores the intersection of colonialism, neo-colonialism, neoliberalism, and "post-truth" in the context of Kenyan politics. It examines the concept of "metamendacity" as a pervasive cultural phenomenon, emphasizing the role of the media, political power, and digital technologies in shaping public opinion and perpetuating a culture of lies. Key themes include epistemic domination, ethnocentrism, subjugationism, and the historical impact of colonial and post-colonial systems of control.
- Citation du texte
- Kiboyye Okoth-Yogo (Auteur), Kenneth Uki (Auteur), O.M. Awuor (Auteur), 2017, Kenya’s Metamendacity History between 1885-2017 and the Ensuing "Post-Truth" Construct, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/383732
