From Many Worlds to Many Realities: The Everett Interpretation as a Lens for Understanding Contemporary Geopolitical Psychology
Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
The Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, first proposed by Hugh Everett in 1957, posits that all possible outcomes of a quantum measurement are realized in coexisting branches of the universe. While traditionally confined to microscopic physical systems, this article proposes that the logic of MWI offers an illuminating metaphor –and potentially a modeling framework– for understanding the increasingly fragmented landscape of contemporary geopolitics. In particular, the behavior and communication strategy of political figures such as Donald J. Trump appear to resonate with an Everettian logic: the simultaneous activation of multiple, incompatible narratives, none of which collapses under scrutiny, and each sustained within separate cognitive or media ecosystems. We argue that this “Many-Worlds political style” challenges classical models of political rationality, narrative coherence, and public truth. Drawing from recent work in quantum cognition, narrative theory, and political psychology, we explore how Everett’s interpretation may offer not only a metaphorical but a structurally meaningful way to describe the emerging post-truth political order. The article concludes with a discussion of how such cross-disciplinary frameworks may contribute to both political theory and foundational questions in quantum epistemology.