Abstract
This article reflects recent events in the macro-politics of Western Europe and North America through the perspective of intervention. It explores how populism combines with (anti)- social media to reiterate a lie with sufficient force and regularity to create conditions in which a myth can take root in the popular imagination. The filtering processes of social media ensure that no contradictory perspectives get through to disturb the prevailing viral lie which consequently morphs into a discourse of post-truth that is taken up as the new master narrative of a politics combining nationalism, racism and crypto-fascism. The years of individualism and identity politics achieve their apotheosis in the personal interventions of post-truth.
The article proceeds to consider how theatre might be employed as an antidote to post-truth. Theatre is a live medium which requires the coming together of individuals to form an audience. I offer an analysis of my recent play, 'Lear in Brexitland',as an instance of an alternative intervention. This analysis encompasses writing, performing and reception to gage how theatre can produce social alternatives to the anti-social manipulations of post-truth and the oligarchs who sponsor them.
Keywords: neoliberalism; anti-social media; Brecht; 'Lear in Brexitland'.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 40-47 |
| Journal | Social Alternatives |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 10 Oct 2017 |
Keywords
- neoliberalism
- anti-social media
- Brecht
- 'Lear in Brexitland'