"Examining the shift towards altered realities as unfulfilled yearnings escalate: Insights on post-reality from sociologist Gérald Bronner, specialist in group beliefs."
In the ever-evolving landscape of human thought, a term that has gained significant traction in recent years is post-reality. Originally chosen as the Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries in 2016, post-reality can be considered the little cousin of post-truth.
Post-reality is a phenomenon where people stop perceiving the refusals or limits that reality normally imposes on their desires. This concept, while it may seem novel, can be traced back to some of humanity's earliest epic tales, as exemplified in the Epic of Gilgamesh. In this ancient story, a powerful being, upon discovering his mortality, strives to transcend his biological condition through desire.
The roots of the concept of "radical subjectivity," closely linked to post-reality, can be traced back to the ideas of young people and very left-wing political movements during May 1968. The "desiring thought" was a constant in these movements, as demonstrated by slogans like "Let's take our desires for realities."
The idea of "radical subjectivity" demands that the world bends to one's desire, a notion that can be seen as a symptom and manifestation of an older process. This idea is linked to the situationists' ideas, a group that emerged during May 1968.
However, it's important to note that the origin of the idea of "radical subjectivity" discussed by Gérald Bronner, a renowned scholar, is primarily rooted in epistemological and sociological theories about knowledge and belief formation, often linked to phenomenology and constructivism.
Bronner does not attribute the origin of his book's thesis solely to May 1968, considering it a symptom and manifestation of an older process. He has written a book about post-reality, exploring its implications and origins in depth.
The election of Donald Trump is directly linked to the term post-truth. Trump and his entourage were among the main promoters of the idea that it was possible to say almost anything without consequences in the American political sphere. Post-truth assumes that the public is indifferent to the truth, a notion that Bronner does not agree with.
Bronner does not condemn the drive for desire, stating that without it, we would not be who we are. However, he does caution against the indifference to truth that post-reality can foster. Richard Dawkins expresses a similar sentiment, stating that reality manifests itself precisely because it opposes our desires.
Myriam Encaoua and Gerald Bronner discuss the ideas of May 1968 as a symptom and manifestation of an older process. They argue that these ideas reflect a broader shift in human thought and behaviour, a shift towards a post-reality world.
In conclusion, post-reality is a complex and multifaceted concept that has its roots in ancient stories and modern political movements. While it presents challenges to our understanding of truth and reality, it also offers insights into human desire and the ways in which we shape our world.
