In times of post-truth, the flagrant use of lies, and the construction of alternative facts make it seem as if what is said has lost importance. Not only does language loose meaning, its function alters radically: it no longer serves to communicate facts and opinions, rather its sole purpose is to transmit power.
The post-truth is especially present in the realm of politics and in the media’s misinformation. Any idea can become real by repetition, decontextualization, segmentation or replication in social media and networks of communication, constructing a post-truth which doesn’t align with the real or the rational. Brexit, the Catalan problem and the recent elections in many different countries all make evident the determining role that language and the media play in the construction and manipulation of public opinion. Juan Luis Cebrian, Honorary Presidente & co-founder of Spain’s leading newspaper, El Pais, will be in conversation with Hispanic Studies professor Julio Ortega from Brown University to discuss these themes.