When we retell events to others there is often a tendency to select a narrative from the many available which casts us in what we imagine to be the best light. Others may perceive “best light” in an entirely different manner. For example some might perceive being pushy and ambitious as good, others may see this as frightful and gauche.
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We may not be overly concerned about narrative accuracy and we will present things in a manner which errs towards the best PR for us. We may deliberately obfuscate and stretch the “truth” well past its elastic limit.
The trouble is once a narrative is “out there” we may be held to it and judged by how well observables, past and subsequent, fit the narrative. We may try to cling to a narrative long past its applicability and credibility. In a hole, so to speak, we may continue to dig.
That is to say that everyone bullshits to a greater or lesser extent.
Narratives however can have real world impacts, some of which can never be undone. They can badly affect people’s lives. A falsehood can skew a life and when uncovered cause a massive calamity. DNA testing has undone many a porky-pie.
In selecting a narrative to believe you effect outcome.
For example what you choose to believe about me will have a large impact on how you interact with me and this blog.
If I am a nutjob then this blog may offer mild amusement and the implication ends there.
If I am not a nutjob there may be other implications and consequences.
Which narrative we choose to believe and act upon is perhaps more important than we think. We cannot undo our choices. The consequence trajectories and bifurcations are set in motion. Some of which might snowball, others may fizzle out.
People may not consider fully nor show discernment. They are most likely to believe a narrative which seems to offer them self-advancement. There are quite a few Trump sycophants who have not had the sustained advancement they might have been seeking.
To whom you hitch your wagon may have longer term implications.
I enjoy kicking around various narratives, various framings, of how I find myself here without being specific about which one holds most true or is operative for me. My days of offering a lead to people are long since passed.
It is up to people to make their own minds up. People like shiny things which can dull with age and oxidation. The short-cut, the quick route, may end up being a dead end.
I am not a sucker for the short-term shiny glitz. Some people are.
Tomorrow I have a pre-operation visit at the local hospital. They have asked me to fill out a poorly thought through questionnaire. I have a ticked a few boxes and they will develop a narrative which may go into a quality control report at some stage. Some geezers will sit around a table and discuss a pie-chart or graph. An improvement narrative will be written up in a quarterly report. It will be published and circulated.
But nobody will really have any idea about what I am thinking or how I view the process.
Why would they care when they have an Excel spreadsheet to discuss ?
That narrative will be developed irrespective of me.
We can develop narratives while being largely oblivious and imagine ourselves expert…
Pick a narrative, any narrative, spin the wheel and see where the ball lands…
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Mesdames, Messieurs, faites vos jeux !!
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We imagine our certainty to be way more certain and accurate than it is or can be…
We all like a punt from time to time…
Dreamyoga 