The Department of Truth, Vol 1: The End of the World by James Tynion IV
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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This is the cleverest and most mind-blowing graphic novel I've read in a long time. Like the first "Matrix" film, it challenges one's metaphysical certitude, making one question whether the world might - just might - work differently than we think. But, more importantly, it shines a light on one of the major problems of our age, and it does so in a smart way, recognizing a core conundrum - that there are no clear-cut right answers.
The sci-fi premise at the heart of this book is the idea that collective belief shapes reality, and, thus, conspiracy theories that gain enough of a following can manifest physical evidence of their truth. This is a fascinating concept, but - even without it - the book forces one to reflect upon what might be the single most important dilemma of our age. On the one hand, people would rather believe malarkey that confirms their worldview and ideology than truth that conflicts with it. On the other hand, if people don't have the freedom to believe whatever they please, in what sense can they be said to be free?
As I read, there were many examples from our present pandemic in which one could see this conflict in action. I saw an article in which a person who took one of the COVID vaccines but mentioned that he felt quite sick afterward was ostracized as an "anti-vaxxer." While I'm pro-vaccine and took my shots, I'm disturbed by the idea that "off-message" statements are being so vitriolically (and, sometimes, deceptively) attacked. "Truth at any cost" will incur a terrifying cost, I'm afraid. And, therein, lies the point of this book, that the issue is complicated and it's by no means clear who the good and bad guys are.
I'd highly recommend reading this book.
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