The Pathemic Dimension of Knowledge: Semiotic Reflections on Trust

The essay investigates the interplay between emotion and knowledge within the context of the post-truth era, arguing that trust functions as a fundamental pathemic (emotive) lever in the construction of belief. Drawing from semiotic theory, particularly the works of Peirce, Fontanille, and Lotman, the author explores how beliefs are not solely cognitive but are rooted in emotional and cultural regimes. The text critiques the erosion of traditional epistemic hierarchies, showing how contemporary political communication—through figures like Matteo Salvini, Roberto Vannacci, and Giorgia Meloni—builds trust not through rational persuasion but via emotional identification, personalization, and performative sincerity. Trust, in this context, becomes a mode of attunement and closeness rather than a response to verifiable knowledge, reflecting a broader cultural shift towards affective, horizontal relationships with information and authority.