A RAND Initiative to Restore the Role of Facts and Analysis in Public Life
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RAND defines “Truth Decay” as the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. This phenomenon has taken hold over the last two decades, eroding civil discourse, causing political paralysis, and leading to public uncertainty and disengagement.
Truth Decay is characterized by four trends:
Most of these trends are not unprecedented in U.S. history. But today's level of disagreement over objective facts appears to be a new phenomenon. So how did we get here?
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Philanthropic contributions support our ability to take the long view, tackle tough and often-controversial topics, and share our findings in innovative and compelling ways.
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Funding for this research initiative was provided by unrestricted gifts from RAND supporters and income from operations.
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