When facts no longer settle the argument

There was a time in Botswana when public disagreements were largely about opinions. People argued passionately about policy, leadership or political direction, but they generally agreed on the basic facts.Today, that shared ground is shifting. We no longer only disagree about what should be done. Increasingly, we disagree about what is even true. When a society reaches that point, the problem is no longer just misinformation. It is a collapse of trust.

Trust, not technology, has quietly become the central story of our democracy. In recent years, public debate has been shaped by suspicion. Journalists accuse politicians of secrecy. Politicians accuse journalists of hostility or fabrication. Citizens accuse both of manipulation. On social media, almost every breaking story is greeted with doubt. Who sent you? Who paid you? What agenda are you pushing? Even verified information is often dismissed, not because it is wrong but because it comes from a source someone has already decided not to trust.