While the purpose of lying is to distract from the truth, bullshitting, as Harry Frankfurt describes in his essay On Bullshit, stands in its own class. Bullshit is a technique politicians and others use to sway the masses that disregards reality entirely. It occurs whenever someone makes a statement without considering “how things really are,” in Frankfurt’s terms. Throughout his political career, President Donald Trump has often ignored objective facts in favor of promoting bullshit, which his recent tweets exemplify. According to numerous polls, most Americans don’t support Trump’s executive order seeking to temporarily ban immigration from 7 Middle Eastern countries. About this, Trump tweeted, “Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting.” Two days later, Trump posted a picture of one poll that supports his claim. Still, Trump’s claim is bullshit because he arbitrarily claims sources are “fake” so he can ignore their evidence, doesn’t care to examine the poll he cites, and is ultimately trying to influence how his followers view the media.
Because every American can’t be surveyed, it’s impossible to determine the absolute truth in this situation. The best …show more content…
He states that “people want border security and extreme vetting” because he wants that to be true, when in reality, he has no idea. Trump’s statement is a non-argument because he gives virtually no evidence to support his conclusion. He doesn’t attempt to provide a series of polls in his favor, showing that he feels his point stands without substantial evidence. In this situation, when it’s hard to decisively determine each person’s view, Trump continues “making assertions that purport to describe the way things are,” even though he doesn’t know the truth. This very tactic, in Frankfurt’s words, “cannot be anything except
Because every American can’t be surveyed, it’s impossible to determine the absolute truth in this situation. The best …show more content…
He states that “people want border security and extreme vetting” because he wants that to be true, when in reality, he has no idea. Trump’s statement is a non-argument because he gives virtually no evidence to support his conclusion. He doesn’t attempt to provide a series of polls in his favor, showing that he feels his point stands without substantial evidence. In this situation, when it’s hard to decisively determine each person’s view, Trump continues “making assertions that purport to describe the way things are,” even though he doesn’t know the truth. This very tactic, in Frankfurt’s words, “cannot be anything except