Fear not, a new story will restore harmony

We need new stories to tell.

It is relatively easy to describe the principles of wellbeing. However, physical descriptions and measuring systems are only half the picture—many people are not excited by numbers, broad values and metrics.

To accelerate answers, solutions to crises such as inequality and climate, we need stories, narratives that draw us in and pull us forward.

We need to be able to picture what we’re creating, feel enlivened with its possibilities, smell, hear and imagine touching what is coming into being.

Narratives

Stories change. Our current competition, small government and the market mindset will solve everything only really took hold in the 1970. Those elements and ideology are, obscurely, named the neo-liberal story/doctrine.

Off-putting words aside, in this great talk George Monbiot sums up the changes, common features and necessity of a new story. Plus, he creates one.

Jump to the video>

George says

I’m an empiricist, I believe in facts and figures —but those facts and figures have no power to displace a persuasive story. The only thing that can replace a story is a story. You cannot take away someone’s story without giving them a new one… there is one basic plot which turns out to be tremendously powerful, and I call this “the restoration story.”

It goes as follows.

Disorder afflicts the land, caused by powerful and nefarious forces working against the interests of humanity. But the hero will revolt against this disorder, fight those powerful forces, against the odds overthrow them and restore harmony to the land.

Hero

We see new stories all around us. They have common elements such as valuing all sentient life, connectedness, equity/justice and bringing back beauty.

However, the differences are often emphasised more than the common points. Can we create an overarching narrative? George proposes one based around belonging and community:

The heroes of the story, us, we’ll revolt against this disorder. We will fight those nefarious forces by building rich, engaging, inclusive and generous communities, and, in doing so, we will restore harmony to the land.

Jump to the video>