Commodification of Truth

The transformation of truth from a property of statements into a commodity that can be packaged, branded, and sold. Truth becomes “content,” “news,” “data,” or “insights” with a price tag. The commodification of truth means that truth is produced in forms that are marketable—short, dramatic, certain—rather than forms that are accurate—long, nuanced, uncertain. It also means that access to truth is mediated by payment, subscription, or attention. Truth becomes something you buy or trade, not something you seek.

Example: “The podcast sold ‘truth‑seeker’ merchandise, but every episode was scripted to maximize ad revenue. Commodification of truth: honesty as a marketing angle.”

Elitism of Truth

The hierarchical assumption that some people—the educated, the credentialed, the rational—have privileged access to truth, and that those who disagree are ignorant, deluded, or dishonest. The elitism of truth dismisses the social and economic barriers to accessing truth, as well as the legitimate reasons people might distrust institutions that claim to speak truth. It turns epistemic humility into arrogance and uses “truth” as a tool to silence dissent rather than a goal to be approached collectively.

Example: “He told her that if she didn’t trust the official report, she must be anti‑truth. Elitism of truth: equating institutional authority with reality itself.”

Commodification of Truth by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal April 20, 2026