It’s difficult to identify the exact moment when truth became subordinate to narrative. At some point, we stopped treating facts as sacred. They became malleable – bent and reshaped to suit ideology, political identity, or emotional comfort. What was once the bedrock of civil discourse is now treated as optional. It’s as if reality itself is subject to the whims of tribal loyalty.

We no longer ask, “Is it true?” Instead, we ask “Who said it?” The source has become more important than the substance. The value of information is now determined less by evidence. It depends more on allegiance. This applies regardless if the information comes from a news anchor, a podcast host, or a TikTok influencer.

This shift hasn’t merely made us misinformed, its eroded our ability to think clearly. We’ve become more polarized, more defensive and increasingly untethered from any shared understanding of the world. And in that vacuum, bad ideas – conspiracies, propaganda and willful ignorance will flourish.

We live in an era of information overload, yet the actual truth feels harder than ever to find. We find ourselves stuck between the shouting matches on cable news. There is the performative outrage of podcasts. Add to that the echo chambers that pass for independent media. What we’re often left with isn’t journalism. It’s agenda-driven content presented up as fact. Carefully clipped soundbites, misleading headlines, and half-truths recycled into something more palatable, more profitable, more tribal.

The Collapse of Trust

At the core of this cultural unraveling lies something more fundamental: a growing collapse of trust in our institutions. And that erosion, to be clear, didn’t arise from nothing. Our government, media, health systems even our educational institutions – have all at various times, betrayed the public trust. Sometimes through incompetence. Sometimes through deception. But instead of acknowledging these failures honestly and repairing them transparently, they’ve often chosen to obscure them with spin. The public, quite understandably, has noticed.

That breach of trust has left a vacuum. And into that vacuum have rushed unqualified voices: conspiracy theorists, internet personalities, algorithmic outrage machines. People now turning to unverified YouTuber’s over scientists, to viral Facebook memes over peer-reviewed studies. We’ve begun to confuse emotional resonance with intellectual rigor, and charisma with credibility.

The result is a society where truth itself feels like a partisan tool. What is considered “true” is less about evidence. It reflects your politics, your social feed, or your favorite influencer’s world view.

The Real-World Consequences

Misinformation doesn’t simply distort our understanding of the world, it actively undermines the conditions for a functioning society. It exacerbates political polarization. It severs our shared sense of history and science. It leaves us questioning the legitimacy of our institutions. We begin to wonder if election results are real. We question if our neighbors are trustworthy. We also question whether it’s even worth trying to care.

Once we lose the ability to agree on basic facts, the ground beneath our conversations collapses. Without that shared foundation, persuasion becomes impossible. Dialogue devolves into conflict, and democracy by its very nature, begins to erode.

We should orient ourselves towards objective truth. We do this not because it flatters our side or helps us win arguments. We do it because truth is the only reliable path to mutual understanding. When both sides of a disagreement are genuinely committed to uncovering what is real, progress becomes possible. This happens rather than simply defending ideological territory.

We abandon the tools that make progress, justice, and peace achievable. This happens when misinformation and conspiracy theories are given equal weight with evidence-based reasoning. We don’t just lose clarity – we lose lives, we lose trust, and eventually the ability to co-exist.

Why I Still Believe in Truth

I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do know this: truth matters. Not the kind that conforms to our biases, or flatters our identity. But the kind that survives scrutiny. The kind that is indifferent to our feelings and political loyalties. The kind that is supported by evidence. It is sustained by reason. It is strengthened by a willingness to revise our beliefs when they no longer hold up.

This is the only truth worth pursuing. And I try to orient myself towards it every day, even when its uncomfortable. Especially then.

Because if we let go of truth, even just a little, what’s left?

We’re left with a culture built on manipulation. A society where outrage is currency. A democracy incapable of self correction because it no longer possess a shared sense of reality.

We deserve better than that. Our kids deserve better than that.

Final Thought

We need to start holding ourselves accountable. We must pause before we share. It’s important to fact-check even when it hurts our “side.” We need to prioritize truth over clicks. Because this war on facts? It’s not just a media problem. It’s a societal one.

That means doing the work. Cross-check claims with multiple credible sources, especially those that challenge your own biases. Use reputable sources and fact checking sites like Snopes, PolitiFact or FactCheck.org. Ask yourself: What’s the source? Who benefits from this narrative? Is there evidence beyond emotion or opinion? These small habits done consistently can make a huge difference.

And the only path forward – the only one that preserves our shared humanity, is through honesty. Not the kind that flatters us, but the kind that requires discipline. The kind that’s often uncomfortable, and unwilling to yield to tribal loyalties or emotional convenience.

Because truth isn’t partisan. It isn’t subjective. And it isn’t optional.

It is the foundation upon which everything else must rest – reason, justice, dialogue, and peace.

Truth still matters. Always.