Book SummaryTruth, by Tom Phillips

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Truth

The Nature and Origins of Misinformation and Falsehoods

Phillips argues that misinformation and deceit aren't exclusive to contemporary times. Every day, people find themselves surrounded by "an ocean of absurdities, partial truths, and blatant lies," whether by our own design or that of others. This inclination toward dishonesty is deeply rooted in both human nature and our past, tracing back to our primate ancestors and manifesting across cultures and throughout centuries. To appreciate the scope of this phenomenon, we need to look at its many forms and understand why it persists despite our best efforts to uncover what's true.

The Sheer Variety of Ways to Be Wrong

Rather than a simple binary of truth and falsehood, the author points to a dizzying array of ways to err. Understanding this is critical, because it illuminates why untruth has such an edge over truth.

Lies, Bullshit, and the Many "Colors" of Untruths

Phillips distinguishes between "lies" and "bullshit" by highlighting the role of intent and the relationship to truth. Liars are aware of the facts and actively try to avoid them, while bullshitters simply have no concern for truth. They feel indifferent about accepting or rejecting it. This "indifference to how things really are," he argues, borrowing from philosopher Harry G Frankfurt's pivotal text On Bullshit, is the essence of bullshit. Therefore, BS is far harder to identify and far less susceptible to correction than lying.

Beyond these two broad categories, Phillips explores a broader taxonomy of falsehood: white lies, "yellow untruths" shared due to cowardice or embarrassment, "blue lies" downplaying achievements, and even "red lies" told with no intention to deceive, functioning as social signals instead. The existence of such a nuanced and intricate array of falsehoods, the author argues, speaks to the idea that the potential methods of being incorrect are nearly infinite, while the ways to be right are highly limited.

Context

• Identifying lies can be difficult because skilled liars may use body language, tone, and other cues to convincingly present falsehoods as truth.
• From a psychological standpoint, bullshitters may engage in this behavior due to a lack of self-awareness or a desire to manipulate social situations without the burden of factual accuracy.
• The lack of specific claims in bullshit makes it difficult to fact-check or verify, as it often relies on vague or ambiguous statements that resist straightforward analysis.
• Common examples include complimenting someone’s cooking when it’s not to your taste or telling a friend you’re busy to avoid an unwanted social event. These lies are generally not intended to cause harm.
• These untruths can be linked to anxiety or fear of confrontation, where the individual prioritizes emotional safety over honesty.
• In some cultures, humility is highly valued, and individuals might downplay their successes to align with cultural norms and expectations, avoiding the perception of arrogance.
• People might use "red lies" to project a certain image or identity that aligns with their social environment, helping them fit in or gain acceptance.
• Mistakes can compound over time, with initial errors leading to further inaccuracies, creating a complex web of potential falsehoods.
• Effective communication requires clarity and accuracy to convey the intended message, reducing the number of ways a statement can be both clear and correct.

The Evolutionary Advantage of Untruth Over Truth

Why does dishonesty flourish when we all profess to value truth? Phillips explains that being untruthful has some inherent benefits. First, there's a numerical advantage: there are far more ways to be incorrect than correct. If truth is a "little gray spot," he quips, untruth stretches out in an "infinite number" of delightful and adaptable variations.

Second, Phillips borrows from Jonathan Swift's observation that a lie "flies, and the Truth comes limping after it," suggesting that untruths often spread more rapidly than the truth, This is why debunking rumors on the internet is such a difficult task; bullshit moves quickly and is hard to catch.

Finally, evolution itself may have favored deception, as deceit is a common survival strategy in nature. For numerous creatures, deceit is vital for camouflage, securing meals, or escaping predators. This isn't merely an involuntary reflex, either.

Context

• In logic and philosophy, truth is often seen as a singular, objective reality, whereas falsehoods can be numerous and varied, allowing for creative and diverse interpretations or misrepresentations of facts.
• Platforms like Twitter and Facebook are designed to amplify content that generates strong reactions, regardless of its truthfulness. Algorithms prioritize engagement, which can lead to the rapid spread of false information.
• Many animals use camouflage to blend into their environments, making it difficult for predators to spot them. This can involve coloration, patterns, or even behavior that mimics the surroundings, such as a stick insect resembling twigs.

Human Beings Have Been Deceptive Since Our Primate Ancestors

Phillips demonstrates how deceit isn't unique to humans, pointing out how intentional deception appears in many animal species, including primates. He cites examples of tigers, dolphins, and chimpanzees engaging in various forms of deception and trickery, from a dolphin hiding garbage to secure more fish rewards to a chimpanzee covering its erection to avoid censure from a dominant male.

The capacity for deception appears to correlate with primates' cognitive ability and brain size, Phillips notes, suggesting deception possibly propelled the evolution of our bigger, more complex brains. Just as certain fish lay a couple million eggs, knowing that...

Truth Summary Misinformation Mechanics and Distribution Through Media and Communication Technologies

Falsehood's intrinsic edge over truth is compounded by how we've chosen to share information throughout history. This is particularly apparent in the development of journalism, where the pressures of deadline reporting, competitive scoops, and audience appeal have historically incentivized sensationalism over accuracy. This tension between the pursuit of truth and the need to share compelling stories is not unique to modern journalism; throughout the rise of mainstream media, we see how technologies amplify and even preserve demonstrably false information.

Birth of Modern News and Rise of Misinformation

The evolution of a formal news industry brought the same advantages and vulnerabilities inherent to human communication into full focus. The author explores the development of journalism from its earliest origins to the rise of the modern industry, highlighting how technology and structural pressures incentivized false narratives.

How the Penny Papers' Financial Approach Prioritized Sensationalism Over Accuracy

Phillips argues that a crucial factor in the development of the modern—and misinformation-prone—news industry was the emergence of low-cost publications in...

Truth Summary Dishonesty in Politics, Propaganda, and Discourse

It’s not shocking that misleading people is an important tool in politics. The stakes are high, incentives for distortion are powerful, and opportunities for public manipulation through spin and persuasive tactics are readily available. As ever, what we see in our own political landscape isn't really novel; throughout history, leaders have deployed numerous tactics to persuade and mislead their citizenry, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Using Deception as a Tool of Statecraft Throughout History

While recognizing that most political figures don’t actively lie as often as we assume, the author acknowledges that political dishonesty happens—and that it really matters when it does, as it can shape public discourse and even drive nations to war. He explores several instances of leaders across time deploying deception for their political ends.

Suez Crisis and Deceit Around Military Interventions

Phillips examines the 1956 Suez Crisis as a prime illustration of how governments will use deceit to justify military action. Although British Prime Minister Anthony Eden and others repeatedly asserted that the UK was unaware of Israel’s plans to invade Egypt, it was...

Truth Summary Deceit in Commerce, Entrepreneurship, and Monetary Schemes

When money and authority drive us, deception unsurprisingly flourishes. While recognizing instances where business pioneers have embraced a "feign success until it's real" philosophy, distorting the truth in service to dreams of world-changing innovation, Phillips also notes that the line between scrappy entrepreneurship and outright fraud is a thin one. Across time, especially our financial past, scammers have exploited both human greed and the systems we’ve developed to govern our exchanges of goods and currency.

Faking It Until You Succeed in Entrepreneurship

Phillips argues that the "fake it until you make it" mantra is commonplace in discussions of entrepreneurship, and explores how this narrow boundary between self-belief and deception plays out in business history.

Deception as a Strategy for Startups and Disruptors

He cites the example of Bill Gates claiming to have finished software for the Altair computer, securing a contract and then writing the software frantically over the next few weeks, and Steve Jobs unveiling a non-functional iPhone prototype while carefully scripting his demonstration to avoid showing its flaws. These examples, however, are only...