The Stories We Tell
“In truth the lives of most people have meaning only within the network of stories they tell one another.” — Yuval Harari
Dear Friends,
In the US, both Biden and Trump have secured nominations, so the presidential election is set.
While I am curious about politics, I am particularly curious about the stories we tell ourselves.
If you identify as a Liberal, and you find out that someone else is a Conservative, what pops in your head?
“Do you instantly think of someone who cares about his or her family, wants the best for the country, seeks happiness, and may see a few issues differently than you?”
Is that what you see in your mind?
Or do you see something else?
What is the story we each have about who we see as “other?”
A friend who works in the news business once told me: “We have to produce shows that get people riled up. Otherwise, they do not watch.”
The algorithms that run social media are the same: they are created to get a response from us — either through something we find pleasant and desire or something we detest.
The goal is to make sure we are never bored and also never satisfied. We need to keep scrolling!
They are created to keep and monetize our attention, not help us live a better life.
THE BATTLE
Media, be it Fox News or CNN, can do the same, as can political parties — they know that creating a compelling and negative “story of the other” gets attention. Profits and donations increase.
There is a danger to this, however: we become more and more divided.
Is the real danger that the candidate we want is not elected … or that we all start to hate and despise one another, not because of direct contact, but because of the narratives weaved by various companies and groups?
While any election is important, and I will vote and support the candidates I most believe in, we also need to work to create a new story of humanity.
This will happen, in part I think, through noticing the story, and becoming curious to learn and connect with all kinds of people.
A part of us may counter, “No, I like feeling better than other people. I want to keep my story that ‘other people’ are not as good as me. If I am no better or worse than other people, who am I now?”
Great question!
If we get the leaders we DESERVE, maybe it is time for humanity to EXPAND OUR CAPACITY.
I think genuine curiosity is one of the most important tools we have.
Blessings,
SOREN
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