Weapons Of Mass Bullshit

Beneath the surface of our daily interactions and discourse, a pervasive force manifests in every facet of our lives. This force is none other than the insidious and elusive phenomenon of "bullshit." It permeates everything from the political sphere to the media, science, religion, and daily interactions with friends and family. It is printed in newspapers, emblazoned on billboards, and plastered on product labels. We consume it through our screens on social media and television. However, defining precisely what constitutes "bullshit" can be challenging despite its omnipresence.

At its core, "bullshit" is a slippery concept that defies easy definition. It cloaks itself in a veil of disguise, making it difficult to discern fact from fiction. The phenomenon of "bullshit" is an intricate and complex web that weaves its way through our lives, affecting our decisions, beliefs, and understanding of the world around us. It exists in all of us to some degree and is often rewarded by society. Therefore, understanding the nature of "bullshit" is critical to navigating the modern world effectively.

According to the philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt, bullshit is not simply lying or telling untruths. Instead, it is a distinct type of speech indifferent to truth or falsity. The bullshitter uses it to impress, persuade, or manipulate others without regard for accuracy or coherence. Unlike a liar, who deliberately tries to deceive by saying what is false, a bullshitter may not care whether what they say is true or false as long as it serves their purpose.

“When an honest man speaks, he says only what he believes to be true; and for the liar, it is correspondingly indispensable that he considers his statements to be false. For the bullshitter, however, all these bets are off: he is neither on the side of the true nor on the side of the false. His eye is not on the facts at all, as the eyes of the honest man and of the liar are, except insofar as they may be pertinent to his interest in getting away with what he says. He does not care whether the things he says describe reality correctly. He just picks them out, or makes them up, to suit his purpose.” — Harry G. Frankfurt.

In this series, we will explore the phenomenon of bullshit from various perspectives, including its history, psychology, types, detection, creation, and consequences. This will include look at self-deception and the science on bullshitting ourselves. We will also examine the ethical issues surrounding bullshit. Finally, we will offer some strategies for dealing with bullshit, whether as a listener, a speaker, or a citizen.

To understand bullshit, we need to start by defining it. As mentioned earlier, bullshit is not the same as lying, although the two can overlap. A liar deliberately tries to deceive by saying what is false, while a bullshitter may not care whether what they say is true or false as long as it serves their purpose. However, both liars and bullshitters violate the norm of honesty, which is the expectation that one should tell the truth and not deceive others.

So what is the purpose of bullshit? According to Frankfurt, the purpose of bullshit is not to deceive or mislead but to impress or persuade. Bullshit is often used by people who want to appear knowledgeable, competent, or authoritative, even if they lack the necessary skills or qualifications. People use bullshit to evade responsibility, avoid answering a difficult question, or gain social status or approval.

We all think we know bullshit when we see it. One characteristic of bullshit is that it is often vague, ambiguous, or nonsensical. Bullshitters may use big words, jargon, or technical terms to create the impression that they know what they are talking about, even if they are irrelevant or meaningless. They may also use metaphors, anecdotes, or emotional appeals to manipulate the listener’s feelings rather than their reason or logic.

Another characteristic of bullshit is that it is often repetitive, redundant, or irrelevant. Bullshitters may repeat the same point without providing new evidence or argument. They may also use fallacies, irrelevant information or tangents to distract the listener from the main idea or to create the impression of depth or complexity.

However, not all bullshit is created equal. While a lot of bullshit is toxic, some can be necessary as we’ll see. On bullshit spectrum, some forms are more harmful or dangerous than others. For example, political bullshit can lead to policies that harm people’s lives or rights, medical bullshit can lead to false cures or harmful treatments. It is, therefore, essential to detect and expose bullshit, both in the world around us and inside ourselves.

In the following series, we will explore the different types of bullshit, the underlying psychology, and the strategies for detecting and dealing with it. We will also examine some of the most prominent philosophers and thinkers who have written on the subject, including Frankfurt, who wrote his seminal essay "On Bullshit" (1986). By the end of this series, I hope you will better understand what bullshit is, how it works, and how to resist it.

The Origins and Evolution of Bullshit

Bullshit has been around since the dawn of language and social interaction, long before the existence of actual bulls as we know them, or their shit. However, according to oxford dictionary, the origins of the term “bullshit” goes back to early 1900s slang in America and Britain and gained more wide use during world war 2. It has been said to have evolved from “bull” that can be traced by to 17th century derived from “bole” an old french word for fraud of deceit.

Different forms and functions of bullshit have changed over time as human societies have evolved and diversified. Throughout history, shamans, priests, or oracles used ancient forms of bullshit to claim supernatural powers or divine knowledge. With the support of rituals, symbols, or myths, these claims created an aura of mystery and awe around the bullshitter. As a result, the bullshitter could gain power, prestige, and influence over the community by claiming access to hidden or higher truths. These bullshit gurus are still thriving today.

In medieval times, theologians, philosophers, or lawyers used bullshit to justify or defend their beliefs or arguments. Then, they used logical or theological arguments to support these claims, creating a mask and aura of rationality and authority around the bullshitter. By claiming to have a superior understanding of the world or the divine, the bullshitter could gain respect, status, and influence in intellectual circles.

Bullshit has taken on new forms and functions as the pace and complexity of social, economic, and technological change increased. Politicians, advertisers, marketers, journalists, and social media influencers thrive on bullshit to persuade, manipulate, or deceive their audiences. Data, statistics, testimonials, and emotional spiels, are used to create an aura of objectivity and credibility around the bullshitter. By claiming to have the “facts” or the pulse of the public, the bullshitter can gain votes, sales, followers and power.

With the emergence of science, critical thinking, skepticism, and fact-checking, however, it made it harder for bullshitters to get away with their lies and deceptions. The increasing demand for transparency, accountability, and authenticity has made it harder for bullshitters to maintain credibility and influence. Unfortunately, new forms pop up, which makes it paramount to spot the endless wellspring of bullshit.

Next post, we will explore the psychology of bullshit, including why people believe and spread it and how to resist it. We will also examine some of the most common cognitive biases and fallacies that underlie bullshit and how to become more mindful of them.

These books that will make you a bullshit detector:

On Bullshit

Thinking, Fast and Slow

The Art of Thinking Clearly

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion