30 Comments

1. sean sarto:

I always thought that the missing factor in E=mc2 is perception..

Feb 7, 2009 - 3:56 am 2. Cybergeezer:

Happy to see this article; Precise application to most comment sections.
A narrative doesn’t work as well as the visual example, on mature, or trained observers.
I read a news article where the reporters in attendance at Obama’s news conference, the other day, were reading newspapers and their Blackberries during the first several minutes of the conference. Could they be multitasking, or were they just ignoring him?

Feb 7, 2009 - 6:22 am 3. Cassandra Troy:

Narrative is an invention of relativist philosophies that hold that man is incapable of knowing anything objectively. This subjective train of thought – personal opinion really – is dubbed “the narrative”, part of the postmodern personal universe in which thought creates reality. It’s a load of horse manure, but journalism has adopted it hook, line and sinker without ever having announced publicly that hence on objective reporting was no longer part of the narrative … if you get my drift. But if you don’t believe in forming opinions based on objective facts, what you do is try to influence people’s minds by manipulating their perception, voila the Obama campaign. The sooner we ditch this nonsense, the better the world will be off: it’s killing us.

Feb 7, 2009 - 7:01 am 4. Craig:

“The real political story right now, at the dawn of the Obama administration, is the competition between narratives.

This came to me as I was introduced in a new media panel for the Colorado Senate Republican Caucus.”

I’m sorry to hear this just came to you. Narrative is the new word for spin. It’s only wordsmithing to make all the players sound educated. Sort of like using ‘insurgent’ instead of murderer, psychopath, or maniac. Or my favorite word for angry homicidal Muslims: ‘restive’!

Feb 7, 2009 - 7:13 am 5. Charlie (Colorado):

Cassandra, sadly, if you watched the video, you should know otherwise: the “narrative”, the story, does affect our perceptions. As far as written versus video, well, how would you explain the fact that a pretty significant number of people will still insist that Bush “slanted the intelligence” even when shown that the details cited in 1998 were the same as the details cited in 2002?

Craig, you might find it useful to look up the word “hyperbole”.

Feb 7, 2009 - 7:30 am 6. Self-hating Boomer:

This is all true, but is part of a much larger phenomenon. The narrative is a tribal identity. Thus, it becomes unquestioned fact within the group. This is why someone who even considers the possibility that there may be alternative narratives is tarred and feathered (Bernie Goldberg comes to mind).

Feb 7, 2009 - 10:06 am 7. Pee Wee Herman, Community Organizer:

Narrative is the new word for spin.

You obviously didn’t understand a word in the article. No fruit cup for you, grasshopper. Hint: a better synonym might be “paradigm”.

Feb 7, 2009 - 10:09 am 8. LeighB:

In politics and in other areas of current life, controlling the narrative matters. If you can get your story out, your version to prevail, you “win”. I don’t know whether we are out of practice at looking at things from different perspectives, just lazy or are addicted to wanting to be right.

My father always encouraged me to not listen to what people say but watch what they do. My Dad would have had a lot to say about Obama’s rhetoric vs. other information.

The incongruency has been so clear for some time, could we never have had a President Obama without cable news and a consolidation of the media companies? Where is this generation’s Murrow or Walter Winchell? Is there anyone indepedent or secure enough to probe beyond the narrative?

Feb 7, 2009 - 10:31 am 9. Craig:

“You obviously didn’t understand a word in the article. No fruit cup for you, grasshopper. Hint: a better synonym might be “paradigm”.”

That’s okay yoda, I know exactly what a narrative is.

Feb 7, 2009 - 10:49 am 10. Chuck Pelto:

TO: Charlie (Colorado) Martin, et al.
RE: Heh

“If you control the narrative, you don’t just control what gets reported. You control what people see and hear.” — Charlie Martin

As I’ve always said….

What they are telling you can be important. What they are NOT telling you can be vital.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[What you don't know can get you killed.]

Feb 7, 2009 - 4:17 pm 11. Chuck Pelto:

P.S. The “Awareness Test” was done some years back testing for whether people talking on cell phones while driving cars could see pedestrians.

The people in the test missed the guy in the gorilla suit…..

Feb 7, 2009 - 4:23 pm 12. Chuck Pelto:

P.P.S. I’m reminded of how the so-called ‘major media’ focused on the OJ Simpson murder trial when they could have been paying attention to the trial of the survivors of the Waco Massacre.

And again, I’m reminded of how President ‘Mr. Bill’ Clinton chose to bomb Sudan and Afghanistan the day Monica testified before Congress.

All in all, in all scenarios, the so-called ‘major media’ decided to have US ‘focus’ on the not-so-important, so that we should miss the more important.

Feb 7, 2009 - 4:25 pm 13. hinky:

Well, I’m not sure I know what a narrative is. It’s a story, right? Something like a metaphor maybe? Like me telling you something I want you to agree with, is that it? Let me try one: Obama is a racist socialist thug who doesn’t believe in Jesus or America and wants to destroy this country so he won’t have to show his birth certificate or quit smoking and admit he wants to move terrorists from Gitmo to the Mall of America Orange Julius stand while the French come over to sell more fancy food here and the queers can raise little queer babies so we shouldn’t like him or support him or believe anything he says because he’s had two whole weeks to fix two decades worth of problems and he’s not keeping his promise because there’s no change except for all the things that we don’t like being so different now after he got CNN to elect him because he doesn’t like Fox News or talk radio because they were so effective in preventing him from winning and stopped the Democrats from gaining more control in Congress and if that’s change you can believe in you can count me out.

Something like that? Is that a narrative? Or is that just the fantasy of ignorant narrow-minded bigots? It’s one of the two. I can feel it.

Feb 7, 2009 - 4:39 pm 14. Phil Earnhardt:

The best example I know of a narrative is a magic trick: a good magician will tell a story and misdirect you in the process. Good magicians have a distinct hypnotic quality to their presentation.

One interesting analogy to politics: people are typically angry with someone who reveals a magic trick; they rarely get upset with the magician. In short, they want to believe.

One comment about the video: if you are a cyclist who wants to do the moonwalk, WEAR A HELMET LIGHT.

Feb 7, 2009 - 5:06 pm 15. Charlie (Colorado):

Hinky, I think if you think it out and figure out what the difference is, it will be a wonderful and enlightening experience for you. Give it a serious try, look at the video again, and get back to me.

Feb 7, 2009 - 5:18 pm 16. John Moore:

You are right to point out the power of the narrative, although perhaps a bit late in the game. During out Vietnam Vets fight against Kerry in 2004, the power of the narrative was made very clear. I even had discussions of it with journos on Jay Rosen’s blog – had to figure out what the heck they were talking about.

I think the best definition of a narrative is suggested by the word: it is a story that presents what is in theory the “best” view of events – where best means most acceptable to the “intellectual” chattering classes and their journalists.

An example of a narrative is that of the Swift Boat Vets for Truth. This group had a disproportionately powerful impact on the election. Their approach was to show an alternate narrative to the MSM’s “anti-war war hero” John Kerry – and they did it by exposing the truth.

The MSM response to this was predictable – they invented a narrative about the SBVT: they were a small group of right-wing veterans, run by Karl Rove as a smear operation against John Kerry; their allegations were universally false. This narrative persists to this day (see what Wikipedia has to say about them, and it really does strive unsuccessfully for a “Neutral Point of View.”

Feb 7, 2009 - 6:36 pm 17. John Moore:

BTW… “trance state?”

Nonsense – it’s called concentration, which is focusing one’s perceptions (in this place) and hence avoiding distractions – like a dancing bear.

Feb 7, 2009 - 6:37 pm 18. Marc Malone:

Narrative versus spin. Narrative is the projected storyline. Spin is the effort to prevent the facts from distorting the narrative.

Feb 7, 2009 - 9:41 pm 19. Marc Malone:

Oops: disrupting the narrative, not distorting.

Feb 7, 2009 - 9:41 pm 20. Danny Lemieux:

We develop narratives as our way of trying to understand the world, just like scientists develop theories as working models to help understand reality.

The problem is that we all become vested in our narratives. As people get older, the more they become emotionally vested in our world views, having arrived there after much turmoil and hardship (for most of us, anyway). I would also suggest that many people, once married to their own world narratives, do not want to invest the mental and spiritual energy to reexamine and rebuild their world views – it’s intellectual laziness, but ego contributes as well. How many people can admit to having been wrong?. So, bottom line, many people won’t recreate their narratives unless absolutely forced to do so – for many, 9/11 was such an event. Perhaps the Obama administration will have such a salutary effect.

Feb 8, 2009 - 8:21 am 21. Cybergeezer:

So; This is all very interesting. Anyone have commentary on the Islamic narrative?

Feb 8, 2009 - 9:28 am 22. Charlie (Colorado):

John, look up “trance state”. Concentration to the extent that other similar stimuli are not perceived is exactly a trance state. It’s just that people incorrectly think that trance is a new age woowoo with arms outstretched and Dr Svengali, eyes blazing, making mystical passes.

Danny, I think you’re correct — breaking out of a familiar mindset is difficult, and as the old joke goes, “the lightbulb has got to want to change.”

Feb 8, 2009 - 1:40 pm 23. mister man:

Here’s one: There’s no mention of 72 virgins in The Koran. Here’s another: Islam is the biggest religious denomination on earth (overtook the Pope and his boys in 2008 – 19.2% to 17.4%., which is just as well, since the Pope, a former Hitler youth, just reinstated a bishop who is a Holocaust denier. I’m not so sure we should have direct talks between the US and The Vatican without some serious preconditions.

Feb 8, 2009 - 1:45 pm 24. Charlie (Colorado):

Okay, mister man, I give up. What *are* you talking about?

Feb 9, 2009 - 8:36 am 25. Ratatosk:

Charlie,

One minor quibble:

I disagree that the video is showing a narrative. Rather its an example of selective information processing. IE, our brain is busy processing data X, since “bear doing the moonwalk” is not part of the data to be processed, it gets ignored by the conscious bits of our brain… this is a sort of automated process our brain does all the time. “Process important data/Immaterial data falls through cracks”

A better example of a narrative, is the huge success of the first Intifada. The tribal leaders in Palestine made sure that anytime any reporter was near… they saw Armed Israelis vs Pali kids throwing rocks. They controlled the narrative, the story seen by the world was “helpless” vs. “Powerful”. That’s why Israel had such a problem with PR during that time… they weren’t in control of the narrative.

This past time, however, they were, for the most part in control of the narrative… thus we heard much more about rocket launches aimed at civilians, or Hamas thugs in control of civilian buildings etc.

Overall though, I thought your article was great.

Feb 9, 2009 - 2:26 pm 26. Marc Malone:

#25 Ratatosk – I disagree. It is not merely a brain function. It is the sign of an atrophied mind. One need not concentrate to the exclusion of all else to do the task. We’re just not used to using our whole minds. History has demonstrated that the soldiers who survive combat are the most noticing of details. They see the whole field. They notice details. Same for pilots. It’s called situational awareness. Our ancestors had this ability or died.

It is a matter of training or exercising the mind. Men who grow up hunting in the woods tend to develop this ability. People who have great senses of direction have this ability. They simply notice everything. My ex is like that. Show her a place once, and she can always find her way there again. My eldest daughter is the same way. My younger daughter is more like me; too cerebral. We get lost in our thoughts rather than see the world around us. I’m much better at it now, after I focussed on it for a time. My younger daughter is now also learning.

2nd Looies in the Army are known for this lack. It’s why they have such a high mortality rate in combat. They’re up front and lost; thinking too much and seeing too little. People who get into this trance state are really just straining to think and not seeing. People listening to propoganda are lost in the rhythms of the message and not thinking about the message. They’re not seeing with their minds; just going with the flow. These are simply weak minds.

Interestingly, when I took the ASVAB (military entrance test) at 17, I got a 138 out of 148. The few ‘Nam vets I met who had decided to re-enter the military, had almost universally perfect scores. The test designers sure knew what they were doing.

Feb 10, 2009 - 2:22 am 27. VegasGuy:

“Trance state” is a condition of reduced awareness, of not being in the moment. We enter a trance whenever we read, or watch a visual presentation, or become engrossed in a conversation. Other existing stimulae are “tuned out”. This mental condition provides a receptive basis for manipulation. See “neuro-linguistic programming” for a powerful example of how to create a new perception of “reality” and thus alter behavior.

A narrative is a story with intent, another tool for manipulation. It need not be factual, or even pretend to be factual. It just needs to be effective, which is measured by how many of the audience buy into the underlying message and incorporate it into their “reality” – usually without appreciating that there *is* a message. Narratives gain from repetition and variations on the theme. Think MSM coverage of war, or Bush, or Obama. Think advertising. Think oratory.

Feb 10, 2009 - 6:51 am 28. Marc Malone:

#27 VegasGuy – I understand the term and its precepts, but I don’t acknowledge the validity of the premises. I don’t enter a trance state when I read or do other things requiring attention. I’m always aware of time passing. I hear what goes on around me. I can think of other things at the same time. I file away things for future doings. When I read, I dissect what I read and consider arguments for and against whilst continuing to read. Shoot, I’m even aware of my surroundings during sex. It’s almost impossible to sneak up on me. My mind is always on. As a result, time moves very, very slowly for me. Always has. The days and years don’t fly by for me.

Anyone can do it. They simply don’t because they’ve allowed their minds to atrophy, or they’ve just never trained their minds. Weak minds. They just need to pump some mental iron.

Feb 10, 2009 - 2:39 pm 29. Ratatosk:

Marc,

To be sure… we can train ourselves to notice more. We can widen our scope of perception to include more things. However, generally speaking (at least according to neurologists) we are always noticing some things over others, based on what we have trained ourselves to consider most important. Thus, our ancestors were likely trained to consider ’sneaking tiger evidence’ to be pretty darn important, but might not have noticed the unimportant geko that was hanging out on the tree nearby.

The survival trait isn’t noticing Eveyrhting… but training your brain to notice things important to survival (in the case of our ancestors or military training).

The average human, though, doesn’t tend to directly train themselves to notice specific things. Instead, it appears that their beliefs and past experiences tend to act as the filtration system. Based on our focus, some data is considered important, some not so much. Thus Al Gore, may really believe that catastrophe is coming… because the data he processes gets filtered. Some guys in the CIA may have fully believed that they had strong evidence of WMD’s, because they were focused on finding that data (and maybe missed the gorilla dancing about).

I’ve done several different experiements myself to see if I could modify what data I focused on. The results were really interesting. Since those experiements, I’ve been working on training my perception as well

Feb 11, 2009 - 8:23 am 30. Charlie (Colorado):

Got behind on this. Ratatosk, sorry, I didn’t mean to imply the video was a narrative in any but the most limited sense, but instead to show how even a tiny focusing of attention can change perception and bring about a very light trance state. Marc, you say that attention never induces in you a trance state, and I can’t argue with you. I can only ask “did you wonder about the moonwalking bear the first time you watched the video?” If you didn’t notice the moonwalking bear, then I suspect you well might reconsider.

Feb 12, 2009 - 12:15 pm