Dubya and Derrida

I am continually amazed at how deeply the American Right, particularly the Religious Right, has drunk from the poisoned well of post-modern anti-rationalism. Even more amazing, these ardent defenders of absolutism see no contradiction between what they defend and the relativist ambit in which they conduct its defense. In their bizarro, fact-free cognitive universe, truth is whatever they wish it to be.

Yet many, if not most, of these inadvertent post-moderns profess devotion to one who called himself "the Truth." Certainly this declaration was not meant to imply that truth is something distinct from the facts; otherwise, the gospel writers wouldn't have repeatedly pointed to what they clearly believed to be documented evidence as proof of their claims. In spite of this, many of those who should most readily accept that truth cannot be contrary to reality stubbornly reject reality in favor of their preferred brand of "truth."

This would be an academic observation if it weren't for the fact that these people are running the country. Consequently, policy decisions affecting millions are based not on a realistic calculus but on "truthiness." And this particular strain of truthiness is almost always the polar opposite of the truth.

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