The Origin of Totalitarianism

  In his article, Michiko Kakutani cites Hannah Arendt from her book The Origin of Totalitarianism: The result of a consistent and total substitution of lies for factual truth is not that the lie will now be accepted as truth and truth be defamed as a lie, but that the sense by which we take our bearings in the real world—and the category of truth versus falsehood is among the mental means to this end—is being destroyed. In a 2-4 paragraph discussion post, consider the following questions: What do you interpret Arendt to mean? Does it apply to the current moment that we are experiencing? If so, what, if anything, can we do about it?