A critical term for the modern system where facts and data are no longer neutral discoveries but mass-produced commodities. In this "industry," evidence is generated, packaged, and marketed to serve pre-determined political agendas, corporate interests, or ideological conclusions. Think of it as a factory where the desired product (a specific narrative) is designed first, and the raw materials (studies, statistics, expert testimony) are then selectively manufactured or sourced to fit. It turns truth-seeking into a supply-chain management problem for power.
Evidence Industry Example: During a major policy debate—like on climate change or public health—opposing think tanks, media conglomerates, and university labs funded by interested parties all churn out a flood of conflicting reports, charts, and "expert" opinions. This isn't an accident of science; it's the Evidence Industry at work. The public is left drowning in a sea of manufactured certainty, unable to find solid ground because every fact has a corporate or ideological barcode.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 6, 2026
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