okanbilal

| thoughts

On Bullshit

by Harry G. Frankfurt

2 min read

Bullshit is unavoidable whenever circumstances require someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about.

Bullshit seems to have found a safe haven for itself. In a media marked by unlimited connectivity, a flow of information, truth is often cast aside in favor of bullshit. What’s worse is that those who produce bullshit are frequently unaware of what they’re doing.

A bullshiter does not care about the truth; their main intention is to shape or manipulate the perception of the audience they address. In this sense, it differs from a lie, which involves distorting a known truth. Bullshit is more common in public places like TV, social media, and stage events because the time feels less important there, and it can easily stick in people’s minds.

Being in environments that encourage such production is like driving on a foggy road. There’s definitely a path ahead, but the visibility is so limited that you can’t see the route leading to truth. As things get murkier, solid information is replaced by assumptions and vague guesses.

Bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are.

Neglecting any concern for reality goes beyond individual problems and muddies public discussions, making bullshit even more dangerous than lies. Instead of embracing accurate representations of the world, what comes to the forefront is a version of reality created or influenced by the bullshitter’s own perspective. This, in turn, weakens our sense of responsibility toward deeper global issues—such as war, genocide, hunger, and inequality—by distancing us from the genuine realities that demand our attention.