Mark Kurlansky's bestselling works of nonfiction view the history
of the world through unexpected lenses, including cod, salt, and
paper. In this new book for young readers his lens is the art of
the big lie. Big lies are told by governments, politicians, and
corporations to avoid responsibility, cast blame on the innocent,
win elections, disguise intent, create chaos, and gain power and
wealth. Big lies are as old as civilization. They corrupt public
understanding and discourse, turn science upside down, and reinvent
history. They prevent humanity from addressing critical challenges.
They perpetuate injustices. They destabilize the world. As with his
book World Without Fish, Kurlansky has written A History of Big
Lies for young readers, the future stewards of our world. It is not
only a history but a how-to manual for seeing through big lies and
thinking critically. "I hope that you will keep asking yourself
what is true as you read this book and live your life," he entreats
readers at the outset. "If the Age of Enlightenment is not to be
followed by the Age of Chaos, we have to think for ourselves." A
History of Big Lies soars across history, alighting on the "noble
lies" of Socrates and Plato, Nero blaming Christians for the
burning of Rome, the great injustices of the Middle Ages, the big
lies of Stalin and Hitler and their terrible consequences, and the
reckless lies of contemporary demagogues, which are amplified
through social media. Lies against women and Jews are two examples
in the long history of "othering" the vulnerable for personal gain.
Nor does America escape Kurlansky's equal-opportunity spotlight.
The modern age has provided ever-more-effective ways of spreading
lies, but it has also given us the scientific method, which is the
most effective tool for finding what is true. In the book's final
chapter, Kurlansky reveals ways to deconstruct an allegation. Is
there credible, testable evidence to support it? If not, suspect a
lie. A scientific theory has to be testable, and so does an
allegation. Who is the source? Who benefits? Is there a money
trail? Especially in the age of social media, critical thinking
counters lies and chaos. "Belief is a choice," Kurlansky writes,
"and honesty begins in each of us. A lack of caring what is true or
false is the undoing of democracy. The alternative to truth is a
corrupt state in which the loudest voices and most seductive lies
confer power and wealth on grifters and oligarchs. We cannot
achieve a healthy planet for all the world's people if we do not
keep asking what is true."
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