Yet public debates over issues feel more emotional, more confused, and more divided than before. The problem is not ignorance. It is the weakening role of truth in public life.
It is a sad reality that modern societies do not run on facts alone. They run on stories and narratives. Stories about identity, fear, pride, and blame can mobilise large groups of people better than facts or truth.
Facts or truth are often slow, complex, uncomfortable, and, honestly, boring. On the other hand, stories...