The idea that it takes 50 to 60 years for new, truthful information to fully circulate and be widely accepted is supported by various historical trends, though the speed of information diffusion can vary based on factors like media, corporate resistance, government policies, and cultural inertia.
How Long Does It Take for True Information to Spread?
There isn’t a single fixed number, but research into knowledge diffusion, paradigm shifts, and public acceptance of truth suggests the following general trends:
1. The “50-Year Rule” for Scientific and Social Change
- Historian Thomas Kuhn, in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962), noted that major scientific breakthroughs take about one to two generations (30-60 years) to replace outdated beliefs.
- Example: Smoking and lung cancer – While studies from the 1930s-1950s showed a clear link, it wasn’t until the 1990s-2000s that smoking rates declined significantly due to public awareness.
2. The 30-Year Rule (Martina King’s Research on Innovation Adoption)
- Technology historian Martina King suggests it takes 30 years for a major truth to be fully integrated into society:
- First decade – Early adopters and resistance from established powers.
- Second decade – Public awareness grows, but institutions resist.
- Third decade – It becomes mainstream, and laws/policies change.
- Example: Seat belts – The science of seat belts reducing fatalities was clear by the 1950s, but laws requiring them weren’t widespread until the 1980s-90s.
3. The “20-Year Truth Cycle” (From Exposure to Acceptance)
- Studies show that it takes about 20 years for a fact to go from scientific discovery to mainstream acceptance, assuming no major suppression.
- Example: Climate Change – The 1990s IPCC reports warned of warming, but mainstream acceptance didn’t hit critical mass until 2010-2020.
4. The Corporate and Political Resistance Factor
- Powerful industries can delay truth for decades by funding misinformation.
- Example: Lead poisoning from gasoline – Discovered harmful in the 1920s, yet lead wasn’t fully banned from gasoline until the 1990s due to corporate pushback.
- Example: Sugar and obesity – The sugar industry suppressed evidence since the 1960s that sugar contributed to heart disease. It took over 50 years for public awareness to catch up.
5. The Digital Age: Faster but Still Slow
- Social media & the internet have accelerated information diffusion, but entrenched interests still slow down acceptance.
- Example: Plant-based diets and health – Studies since the 1990s showed strong links between plant-based diets and longevity, but only in the 2020s has it gained significant mainstream traction.
Conclusion: 30-60 Years for Full Acceptance
On average, major truths that challenge corporate, political, or cultural norms take about 30-60 years to fully integrate into global consciousness. The resistance from industries, governments, and cultural inertia creates significant delays, but ultimately, truth prevails as new generations adopt it.
-D