The Growth of Bullshit in Our Times: A Crisis of Discernment

Introduction: The Bullshit Boom

In our current era, the sheer volume of bullshit has grown exponentially. What was once a tactic used sparingly in politics, marketing, and social discourse has now become a dominant feature of modern communication. Not only has bullshit increased in quantity, but people’s receptivity to it has also expanded, creating a feedback loop where misinformation, deception, and superficial narratives thrive. This is not merely an unfortunate byproduct of technological advancements like social media—it is actively reinforced by political, social, and corporate forces that benefit from its proliferation.

Why Are We More Receptive to Bullshit?

The modern world has introduced contextual forces that make bullshit more palatable and harder to resist. These include:

Information Overload & Cognitive Fatigue – We consume far more information than ever before, often passively. With limited cognitive resources, people rely on mental shortcuts rather than deep analysis, making them more susceptible to bullshit.
Social Media & Virality – Platforms reward engagement over accuracy, prioritizing content that provokes emotional responses rather than intellectual scrutiny.
Algorithmic Amplification – Recommendation engines push sensationalized or misleading content, reinforcing existing biases rather than providing corrective information.
Decline of Traditional Gatekeepers – While historically, journalists and institutions vetted information, today’s decentralized media landscape allows bullshit to spread unchecked.

Each of these factors erodes people’s ability to critically evaluate claims, making them more receptive to bullshit, particularly when it aligns with their preexisting beliefs or social identity.

The Reinforcement of Bullshit: Why It’s Profitable and Rewarded

Modern sociocultural forces do not just allow bullshit—they often incentivize and reward it. Various agents benefit from its spread:

1. Political Bullshit

Politicians and political groups recognize that bullshit mobilizes people more effectively than nuanced arguments.
Fear-mongering, identity politics, and misinformation are strategic tools to maintain power.
Even when exposed, bullshit is rarely punished—followers often double down rather than abandon their beliefs.

2. Corporate Bullshit

Businesses use manipulative advertising, vague slogans, and misleading claims to sell products and services.
Many industries thrive on pseudo-scientific wellness trends, greenwashing, and corporate social responsibility narratives that lack substance.
Branding often focuses on emotional appeal over objective quality.

3. Social & Cultural Bullshit

The rise of influencers, pseudo-experts, and self-proclaimed thought leaders has led to an explosion of unverified yet widely accepted information.
Cultural movements often prioritize ideological purity over complexity, reinforcing simplistic, bullshit-laden narratives.
Echo chambers prevent exposure to dissenting views, allowing bullshit to flourish unchallenged.

Why Bullshit Isn’t Being Challenged Enough

Despite the increase in disinformation and misinformation, there isn’t enough public awareness or resistance against bullshit. Some of the key reasons include:

Lack of Media Literacy – Many people lack the ability to critically assess sources, differentiate between opinion and fact, or recognize manipulative rhetoric.
Psychological Comfort in Simplistic Narratives – Humans prefer clear-cut explanations over ambiguity, making them more likely to accept bullshit if it provides certainty.
Fear of Social Repercussions – Challenging bullshit can lead to social alienation, backlash, or harassment, particularly in polarized environments.
The Decline of Intellectual Discourse – There is less emphasis on critical thinking in education and public discourse, leading to passive acceptance of bullshit.

The Consequences: What Happens When Bullshit Thrives?

The unchecked proliferation of bullshit has serious consequences:

Erosion of Trust – Public trust in institutions, science, and journalism declines, making it harder to establish consensus on critical issues.
Manipulation & Control – Those who control the most compelling bullshit narratives shape public opinion, elections, and economies.
Weakening of Democracy – When misinformation replaces rational debate and informed decision-making, democracy suffers.
Apathy & Nihilism – People who recognise the flood of bullshit often become disillusioned and disengaged, believing truth is irrelevant.

How to Fight Back: Developing Bullshit Immunity

To counteract the growing crisis of bullshit, individuals and societies need to develop stronger bullshit filters:

Strengthen Critical Thinking Skills – Actively question sources, motives, and the structure of claims before accepting them.
Improve Media Literacy – Learn how social media algorithms manipulate perception, and seek out reliable sources.
Encourage Intellectual Humility – Recognize that being wrong is a normal part of learning, and avoid tribal thinking.
Support Independent, Fact-Based Journalism – Traditional journalism has flaws, but it remains one of the few counterforces to bullshit.
Promote Open, Nuanced Discussions – Complex issues require complex discussions, not soundbites or emotional appeals.

Conclusion: A World Drowning in Bullshit

We live in an era where bullshit is not just commonplace but systematically reinforced by political, corporate, and social structures. The sheer volume of misinformation, deception, and shallow discourse has created a crisis of discernment, leaving many unable to differentiate between reality and carefully crafted nonsense. Bullshit is not just a passive phenomenon—it is an actively exploited tool of influence. If we want to reclaim a space for truth, reason, and informed discourse, we must become more aware of the mechanisms that spread bullshit and develop the intellectual resilience to challenge it.