Nietzsche, Nach-Wahrheit und Kritik

In this article, I argue that the current post-truth era forces us to re-pose the question of truth. I argue that if we want to understand who we are today and develop an „ontology of the present“ as Michel Foucault called it, we must develop a new question of truth based on Foucault’s remark that „whenever we need to rethink the truth, we must turn to Nietzsche.“ Next, I put forward my proposal for this renewed question, arguing first that this enquiry is a multi-layered one and, second, that Foucault and Nietzsche’s genealogical critique should be expanded to include a critique of media. I then demonstrate how such a media critique can fruitfully begin with Nietzsche by, first, looking more closely at his early reflections regarding which media can or cannot convey the truth. Finally, I argue that by considering Nietzsche’s own relationship with the public, we may learn how to bridge the gap between „the people“ and the
„intellectual elite“ while maintaining the critical attitude that public intellectuals are supposed to maintain.