The dark side of storytelling


In the Ted talk "The dark side of storytelling", Suzanne Duncan shares how storytelling can turn into a negative thing when it keeps one from personal growth. Duncan talks about how working in a financing firm has brought her to explore how individuals use storytelling to depict events. She found that many people talk about events where they were not successful, in a light where they were not at fault. In events where they were successful, they spoke about it in a light where they were the positive factor.
Suzanne Duncan uses pathos to get her point across. She brings up an example of Timothy McVeigh, the American terrorist who perpetrated the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people and injured over 680 others. She explains how fiction and fantasy were a big part of his life before, and how he eventually turned his reality into a fiction story. By doing this, he used religion as part of his reasoning for committing the acts. By using this example, the audience can view fictive storytelling as having negative consequences, some that can even lead to tragic events such as these. The audience will further be persuaded to think about these consequences when storytelling, and think about how instead of telling a false story, tell the truth and grow from it.
Suzanne Duncan may be seen as not being credible in this realm of research, as she works in a financial firm. However, her team and her lead intensive research on the results of storytelling for six months, making her more credible.

Comments

  1. Nyree BaldwinJanuary 25, 2019 at 3:11 PM

    Emi,

    I really liked reading your blog post, you are a great writer! I thought your analysis of this TED Talk was extremely interesting. I really liked how you explained the relationship between fiction and negativity in storytelling, The example the speaker used as a warning to the audience of fictive storytelling is intriguing. Overall, great job!

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 27, 2019 at 10:06 AM

    Great post! From what I gathered from your blog, it seems like this was a pretty dark Ted Talk, so props to you for making it through. One thing I find peculiar is the reason she is giving a TED Talk on an Oklahoma bombing, while she is a financial advisor. Great Post!

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  3. Sam LevineJanuary 27, 2019 at 11:53 AM

    Hey Emi, it's interesting that you looked at the dark side of storytelling. I liked how you went into specifics as to how Suzanne Duncan made her point through pathos, however to improve I would maybe include a few more devices she used.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Elena RehbergJanuary 27, 2019 at 5:48 PM

    Hey Emi! I really enjoyed this blog post. You kept it short and sweet and really easy to understand, but also talked about something I haven't really thought about. The bad side of storytelling is something I haven't ever thoroughly explored so it was really cool to read about your perspective on it, as well as Suzanne Duncan's. Great job! <3

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