Wikiality: the idea that if you claim something to be true and enough people agree with you, it becomes true. --from Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report*. (*links to the clip from the Word part of the show where Colbert defines wikiality by checking Wikipedia for what he had said about Oregon as Washington's Mexico or California's Canada.)
Truthiness (noun)
1 : "truth that comes from the gut, not books" (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," October 2005)2 : "the quality of preferring concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true" (American Dialect Society, January 2006)
-- http://www.m-w.com/info/06words.htm (Merriam Webster dictionary)
How is it that I have missed Stephen Colbert's show until now? Well, it might be because I don't watch TV--hardly ever. But I found a link to this Word segment. We could have a long and healthy discussion about the meaning of truth based on its changing definition.
Yikes. There's more to come on this topic...
3 comments:
Thanks again Readster for pointing me toward a must-see video clip. I missed that particular show, but I do watch the program from time to time. So much good TV and not enough time--so many good books and not enough time! I've taken the first brave steps toward reviewing. I've never done that before. I hope it becomes earier with time. Do you have any suggestions?
I love Colbert. He's so snarky and yet thought-provoking. He and Jon Stewart are the perfect one-two punch to cap off my day. Glad you are enjoying him too.
That sounds really good!
Post a Comment