Theory of All Facts Are Cherry-Pickable

The formal sociological and epistemological principle that because human knowledge is vast and fragmented, and because all narratives require selection, any political, ideological, or marketing campaign can and will build its case on a foundation of carefully chosen, verifiable facts. The theory states that the battle is never over "facts vs. lies," but over which curated subset of facts achieves cultural dominance and gets woven into the accepted story. Truth becomes a matter of narrative victory, not just verification.

Example: The Theory of All Facts Are Cherry-Pickable explains how two historians can both use authentic archives to "prove" diametrically opposed views of an empire—one highlighting its architectural achievements (cherry-picked facts of grandeur), the other its slave ledgers (cherry-picked facts of brutality). Both are factual, but the chosen narrative defines the "truth."

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026