# Is It Still Possible to Establish Facts By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-02-19 Winning arguments and feeling justified in one’s position has seemed to overtake accuracy. As we meander in a post-truth society, it is questionable whether it is still possible to establish facts. Even if established, it is unclear that they are shared in a way in which they will influence understanding and discussion. This has implications for analysis. What started as the ambitious goal of establishing Truth (i.e., universal and immutable), became a search for truth (i.e., accurate and replicable), before being reduced to finding a justification. Analysis can fit into each of these, and there is often no clear understanding of who is engaged in what. For those lucky nihilists, this, as with everything, doesn’t matter. For those concerned with making real, positive change, this situation is an unacknowledged catastrophe. Establishing facts matters. Understanding what is going on is consequential. Postmodernism was useful in deconstructing the hegemony of Truth. But just because there might not be Truth, does not mean there aren’t facts. Perhaps an analyst union is needed to protect the profession. Under such a construct, those engaged in establishing facts are card-carrying analysts. Those engaged in substantiating justifications can revert to the more fitting title of propagandists. There is no doubt which category will earn more, as the market for establishing facts is decreasing daily and propagandists have convinced society that it doesn’t matter and that nothing can be done about it. #### Related Items [[Truth]] [[Facts]] [[Analytics]]