patrick.net

But what is bullshitting and in what ways it is similar to, and different from, lying? Here are the basics as Frankfurt sees them:

Main Similarities –

1) Both liars and bullshitters (bsers) want you to believe that they are telling the truth.
2) And both want to get away with something.

Major Differences

Liars –

1) Liars engage in a conscious act of deception.
2) Liars know the truth, but attempt to hide it.
3) Liars spread untruths, but they still accept the distinction between the truth and false.

Bsers

1) Bsers don’t consciously deceive.
2) Bsers just don’t know or care about the truth.
3) Bsers ignore or reject the distinction between truth and falsity altogether.

Liars know the truth and try to hide it; bsers don’t know or care about the truth and try to hide their lack of commitment to it. Thus bullshitting is more like bluffing or faking. Surprisingly, Frankfurt thinks bullshit is more dangerous than lies because it erodes the very idea of truth. As he puts it:

It is impossible for someone to lie unless he thinks he knows the truth … Producing bullshit requires no such conviction. A person who lies is thereby responding to the truth, and he is to that extent respectful of it. When an honest man speaks, he says only what he believes to be true; and for the liar, it is correspondingly indispensable that he considers his statements to be false. For the bullshitter, however, all bets are off … He does not reject the authority of the truth, as the liar does, and oppose himself to it. He pays no attention to it at all. By virtue of this, bullshit is a greater enemy of truth than lies are.

As to the cause of so much bullshit, Frankfurt argues:

https://reasonandmeaning.com/2020/10/29/lying-vs-bullshit/

In the last comment covered Princeton emeritus professor Harry Frankfurt’s distinction between lies and bullshit. I suggested that the difference between truth and falsity is even more important than the difference between lies and bullshit. Now I’d like to elaborate.

Why Truth Matters

https://reasonandmeaning.com/2017/01/25/why-truth-matters/

Things exist and can be measured, BSers can’t get around this fact. Some people working in certain positions can get away with it for longer then others, but it will eventually catch up with you.

Another thing I believe to be true is that bullshitters bs themselves more then anyone else. If you are full of shit and think other people haven’t noticed, you are lying to yourself. In my experience people catch on pretty quick to bs, but many are too polite / don’t want conflict so they don’t call it out.

our government full of bsers and faggots, they even redefined language to fit their bs.

About 10 years ago (in my late 30’s) I realized that most people are pushing an agenda, sometimes personal and others influenced. They never seek the truth, they just repeat stuff over and over. The pandemic cemented my view of humanity’s bullshit. It’s hard to meet people that actually think and reason like most around here.

FortwayeAsFuckJoeBiden says

today you need to up your game by using empty slogans that noone dares to challenge. liberal speak 101.

when they ask:
“why did you fix it like that?”

“because black lives matter” or “to foster transformative equity and inclusion”.

really bonus points for any marketing words you can squeeze in. transformative or patriarchy defying go a long way.

any follow up questions should be addressed with a question such as “only a bigot would not understand, do you under?”

It's toxic femininity spreading to all corners of life.

"Why did you steal $500 from my desk?"
"We needed a new system to make fondues and present wines to facilitate our social life so we can be our best selves. I didn't steal the money, I'm simply insuring that you live your best life because you are not focused enough on life-work balance. I did it for you, and you should appreciate this"
"That was for an emergency"
"Eat, pray, love, you only live once. Besides, we can use your credit card if there is an emergency. You need therapy, because you are constantly focused on the negative and the possibility of disaster. My therapist will be happy to tell you what you can do to make us happier and more balanced. Can I charge it to your card?"