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That time I thought Narrative was simple
Topic: Narrative
by Una, 2020 Cohort
Narrative permeates all aspects of society and is governed by stories and reports. Traditionally, narrative follows a linear format and is relatively sequential. However, with the rise of social media and various journalist outlets, narrative has now changed to a very mingled flowchart and is now altering our identity.
Any Generation-Z would tell you that ‘social media is not real.’ After all, the glamour of social media is its selective nature. Most people would only chose to share beautiful photos and memories of their lives. This is called personal narrative, as we can choose what to portray to the world.
The famous quote ‘we judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior’ rings true for personal narrative as well. Have you felt like the person you are alone is different to the person you are with your peers or family members? Your friends might think you’re outspoken, your family might think you’re shy. These are all narratives we have constructed for ourselves, and surprisingly, each narrative is true and valid, as our narrative is also shaped by our connections with others. How well you understand how others see you and how you see yourself both play an important role in constructing personal narrative.
On the other hand, there are common narratives ingrained in society:
- Fat people are lazy and have no self-control
- Girls who wear makeup are vain and conceited
- Men who cry are too emotional and weak
- Tattoos are for criminals
There are so many common narratives in society that are subconscious. Humans love logic, and our assumptions (correctly or incorrectly) permeate into common narratives. For example, you might think weight-loss can be purely achieved through exercise because there has been a report on the success of intense cardio activity in weight loss, thus you form the assumption that people who cannot lose weight are lazy and chose not to exercise. In South Korea, the rise of plastic surgery can be associated with a personal stories about the benefits of plastic surgery changing their life. This forms a narrative that tells people ‘if I can look the best, why would I chose not to?’ It is very easy to manipulate and chose a certain narrative through the media. 70% of Braces are done for aesthetics reasons. There is a narrative that it is a rite of passage for children to have braces. The only difference is that braces is now widely accepted and other forms of plastic surgery still judged. Thus, collective narratives can shape stereotypes and form ingrained societal expectations.
Narrative is extremely complex and can be dangerous. Understanding narratives help us understand our assumptions so change can occur. For personal narratives, most people want to justify or validate their actions by telling us their intentions: ‘I lashed out at you because I had a bad day at work.’ For collective narratives, it shapes and changes identities of groups and people- think the rise of #metoo and Black Lives Matter. Without changing narratives, action cannot
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This content has been contributed by a student as part of a learning activity.
If there are inaccuracies, or opportunities for significant improvement on this topic, feedback is welcome on how to improve the resource.
You can improve articles on this topic as a student in "Unravelling Complexity", or by including the amendments in an email to: Chris.Browne@anu.edu.au
Narrative permeates all aspects of society and is governed by stories and reports. Traditionally, narrative follows a linear format and is relatively sequential. However, with the rise of social media and various journalist outlets, narrative has now changed to a very mingled flowchart and is now altering our identity.
Any Generation-Z would tell you that ‘social media is not real.’ After all, the glamour of social media is its selective nature. Most people would only chose to share beautiful photos and memories of their lives. This is called personal narrative, as we can choose what to portray to the world.
The famous quote ‘we judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior’ rings true for personal narrative as well. Have you felt like the person you are alone is different to the person you are with your peers or family members? Your friends might think you’re outspoken, your family might think you’re shy. These are all narratives we have constructed for ourselves, and surprisingly, each narrative is true and valid, as our narrative is also shaped by our connections with others. How well you understand how others see you and how you see yourself both play an important role in constructing personal narrative.
On the other hand, there are common narratives ingrained in society:
- Fat people are lazy and have no self-control
- Girls who wear makeup are vain and conceited
- Men who cry are too emotional and weak
- Tattoos are for criminals
There are so many common narratives in society that are subconscious. Humans love logic, and our assumptions (correctly or incorrectly) permeate into common narratives. For example, you might think weight-loss can be purely achieved through exercise because there has been a report on the success of intense cardio activity in weight loss, thus you form the assumption that people who cannot lose weight are lazy and chose not to exercise. In South Korea, the rise of plastic surgery can be associated with a personal stories about the benefits of plastic surgery changing their life. This forms a narrative that tells people ‘if I can look the best, why would I chose not to?’ It is very easy to manipulate and chose a certain narrative through the media. 70% of Braces are done for aesthetics reasons. There is a narrative that it is a rite of passage for children to have braces. The only difference is that braces is now widely accepted and other forms of plastic surgery still judged. Thus, collective narratives can shape stereotypes and form ingrained societal expectations.
Narrative is extremely complex and can be dangerous. Understanding narratives help us understand our assumptions so change can occur. For personal narratives, most people want to justify or validate their actions by telling us their intentions: ‘I lashed out at you because I had a bad day at work.’ For collective narratives, it shapes and changes identities of groups and people- think the rise of #metoo and Black Lives Matter. Without changing narratives, action cannot