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“Truth Decay” in Our Political Discourse Endangers Democracy

May 6, 2017

Fake news and alternative facts are taking up more space on social media feeds, and citizens are becoming more and more skeptical of the truthfulness of traditional institutions such as the government, the media and even science. It’s all a part of a trend RAND president and CEO Michael Rich has described as “truth decay,” the erosion of truth in the political sphere and public discourse. Without a shared set of facts, he says, the foundation of our democracy is at risk. He sits down with Soledad O’Brien for an in-depth discussion on truth decay, its symptoms and how we can look for remedies.

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