During the 2024 US presidential campaign, the proliferation of lies reached an unprecedented level. This confirms that we have entered the era of post-truth and alternative facts. Beyond true and false, anyone can claim their interpretation and narrative. Is there a way to prevent fake news and political manipulation that threaten democracy?

This essay traces the path that has led to this relativism over the last forty years on both sides of the ideological spectrum: the reign of storytelling, the empire of emotion, identity politics, victimization, autofiction, cancelation, philosophical deconstruction, the virtualization of the world by artificial intelligence... have all decimated universal reason. To save truth and the positivity of facts, François Noudelmann explores other resources, such as indignation in the face of lies and the alliance of doubt and revolt, which allow us to still believe in a common language.