Humankind: The Post-Truth Species

We are told repeatedly these days that we are living in a new and frightening era of “Post-Truth.” So when, exactly, was the halcyon age of truth? In the 1980s? The 1930s? The 18th century?

Ever since the Stone Age, self-reinforcing myths have served to unite human collectives. Indeed, Homo sapiens conquered this planet thanks above all to the unique human ability to create and spread fictions. We are the only mammals that can cooperate with numerous strangers because only we can invent fictional stories, spread them around, and convince millions of others to believe in them. As long as everybody believes in the same fictions, we all obey the same laws, and can thereby cooperate effectively.