Trumpery means worthless nonsense, something that is, simultaneously, deceitful and showy. When I learned about this splendid and timely word, I immediately thought that it could be the right title for a two-hour presentation —and even a book— that I've been entertaining for a while. It'd describe strategies to fight back against the deluge of bullshit coming from left and right (sleaziness is quite bipartisan,) and it'd be not just for data designers or journalists, but for school teachers and citizens in general.
This morning I thought that I could do a tour of free talks, titling them Visual Trumpery (I'm still undecided about the subtitle.) I'd like to begin in the second semester of 2017. Maybe with your help.
I've already been contacted by people who might bring this talk to New York, Atlanta, Portland, Barcelona, Paris, etc. If you're interested in hosting a Visual Trumpery event in your city, contact me. I'll give priority to U.S. cities, but I'm not ruling out other countries.
Here's what I propose:
1. I won't charge my regular daily fee. I'll waive salary. You'll only need to cover a roundtrip flight (coach,) hotel, if needed (I'm not picky,) taxi, and meals (I'm a very easy guest.) I'd also appreciate a glass of red wine or two, but that's not mandatory.
2. The talk will cover data, visualization, and infographics, but it won't be limited to them. I'd like the presentation to be a bit broader: Improving rational thinking among the public, fostering a better understanding of probability and uncertainty, etc.
3. The talk must not be limited to your organization, company, or educational institution. It must be open to the public, free, and promoted widely. Closer to the Summer, I'll try to come up with a flyer and a poster you can use to spread the word. I may even create a small dedicated website.
Let's see if we can make this happen. Looking forward to hearing from you.
