If the Hyper-Truth be Told
Summing up the spirit of our time with the Oatcake Stack entitled HYPER-ZEITGEIST.
Once upon a time many moons ago it seems we might have launched a new metaphor — Hyper Zeitgeist — as the all-knowing, all-wise one shares:
“Hyper Zeitgeist” is an intriguing phrase that combines two concepts:
Zeitgeist: This German word translates to “spirit of the time” or “spirit of the age” and refers to the dominant cultural, intellectual, and social climate or mood of a particular period in history.
Hyper: A prefix meaning “excessive,” “beyond,” or “above.” It often implies something intensified or accelerated.
Putting these together, “Hyper Zeitgeist” could be interpreted as an intensified or accelerated spirit of the times—a cultural or social atmosphere that is heightened, fast-moving, or amplified beyond the usual pace or depth.
Viola! Out of the collective thought soup were juxtaposed three co-emergent and somewhat significant “hypers” of our era: 1. from the psyop called Timothy Morton, HYPEROBJECTS; 2. from Alexei Yurchak & Adam Curtis, HYPERNORMALIZATION; and 3. from the dark web HYPERNOVELTY.
We wake up inside HYPEROBJECTS now like we never have before. They envelope us. They’re sticky and inescapable. Our main task in any given moment, is to select which hyperobject will command our awareness and attention.
HYPERNORMALIZATION means that the fake and false have been normalized and there is little that can be done about it apart from poking at the facade, and pointing to ever present what-is-ness.
HYPERNOVELTY sums up current event stream both oncoming and in retrospect. Without a valid common shared reality (CSR) we’re fucked so to speak. Since most are faking confidence, convinced that their personal version is the correct one, and since they all come into question, the rug is literally pulled out from under authority. This means it’s time to get creative, let go of our programming and focus on the foundation building blocks of a viable CSR / moral compass.
Hey, if things aren’t working very well, why stick to the same story keeping us on a collision course with disaster?
Unfortunately very few in the vast readership “got it” except a dear friend who wrote in response to the HYPER-ZEITGEIST essay:
Wow, Ken. I’m surprised how easy this was to read and understand. It’s serious and entertaining at the same time. I love how you’ve inserted the oatcake! Fabulous!
Let’s return to “our know-it-all” for a concise summary:
Hyper-zeitgeist, Hyperobjects, Hypernormalization, Hypernovelty
You’re touching on a fascinating cluster of concepts that all share the prefix “Hyper-”, signalling intensification, excess, or complexity beyond normal experience. Let’s unpack these terms—Hyper-zeitgeist, Hyperobjects, Hypernormalization, and Hypernovelty—and explore how they relate to each other, especially in cultural and philosophical contexts.Hyperobjects are a philosophical concept introduced by ecological thinker Timothy Morton. They describe entities that are:
Vast in time and space,
So massively distributed that they defy direct human perception,
Examples include climate change, plastic pollution, or nuclear radiation.
Hyperobjects are “too big” to fully grasp at once but deeply affect every aspect of life.
This concept helps frame environmental crises and global challenges as phenomena that transcend traditional human scales and understanding.
Hypernormalization is a term coined by sociologist Alexei Yurchak and popularized by filmmaker Adam Curtis in his 2016 documentary. It describes a state where society accepts a false or artificial reality as normal because the real complexities or contradictions are too difficult to confront. In this state, governments, media, and institutions create simplified narratives that mask deeper dysfunctions, leading to a collective suspension of disbelief. It’s a powerful concept to understand political and social stagnation in complex modern societies.
Hypernovelty refers to the constant flood of newness and innovation in culture, technology, and media, often at a pace that overwhelms our ability to fully absorb or reflect. It’s the experience of living in a world where trends, products, and ideas rapidly emerge and fade, creating a perpetual sense of chasing the “next big thing.”Hypernovelty can lead to cultural exhaustion but also fuels creativity and change.
I don’t agree with all this AI slop and yet it is pithy and clear. After all, you can never have too many hypers as we shall see.
HYPER-ZEITGEIST may have introduced a new metaphor by accident.
Son Sam responded with this precious book by Byung-Chul HAN that he discovered in a second-hand bookshop in Montreal. What a fantastic find!
Hyperkulturalitat: Kultur und Globalisierung, published in 2005
Hyperculture: Culture and Globalisation is the 2022 English translation
South Korean-born HAN takes a refreshingly vast perspective. There is a great book summary here on thefreelibrary.com. The following I offer as hyper-highlights:
Hyperculture
Have we all become “Tourists in a Hawaiian Shirts” even in our own home towns?shifting from national happiness to hypercultural happinessHypertext (Ted Nelson 1965)
Hypermedia • Hyperlink
everything in the universe is intertwined, a network without a centreHypercuisine Fusion Food
The hypermarket of taste lives off difference and diversityHypermodern era
the cultural logic of hypermodernityHyperlogue (neither mono- nor dialogue)
the World Wide Web has transformed the world into a seascape
we all navigate in an infinite sea of information
In the new seascape, “logos gives way to hyperlogue”
the hyperlogue is the order that rules hyperculture
Hypervision
Both (Nietzsche’s) wanderer and (Han’s) tourist live in a de-teleologised, de-theologised, and de-sited world. They are not directed to a final destination and lose sight of a single horizon. This liberates their vision, which becomes a hypervision.
Keep in mind, HAN writes about all this 20+ years ago, way before our era of Hypercomplexity. Things used to be so simple!
How did we get here you might ask? Of course by the very best of intentions. HAN’s focus on hypertext led me to discover the Hypertext Hall of Fame profiling six fascinating visionaries stretching back to the early 1900s. We’ve been lusting after omniscience for a very long time, and now that we have it?
Completely unrelated I note “hypertrucage” is French for “deep-fake.” We reject the swindle and yet the trickster is embedded deep in biology. Deeper still, on introspection we realize how we adjust the persona for each interaction. In essence deep-fake sincerity is likely the default mode, unless of course you’re one of those Genuine Oatcake people.
If Hyper-Truth be told? In a hyperlogue between one deep-fake and another, safe to say life is a wee bit over the top on the planet going into 2026. Definitely time to hyper-chill and go on a string of hyper-relaxation retreats.
If Hyper-Truth be told is dedicated to all the elders and wisdom keepers. It was first published on The Oatcake Stack on January 1, 2026. There is no plan to charge for subscriptions, and yet you are encouraged to order oatcakes here!