A
deluge of books, news articles, and videos floods the marketplaces, the
airways, and the internet daily, and each has a story. However, many of these
stories are unsubstantiated rumors posted or published by news writers, influencers,
satire writers, and those who have obtained numerous degrees whose intent Is to
shape the public's mindset and amass followers. The overall purpose behind
these chronicles is to control the narrative on a particle subject. Controlling
the narrative is deciding what we should talk about and how we should talk
about it. If the intent is to create an atmosphere of hate, the narrative must
downplay the positive while amplifying the negative. Whether true or false,
controlling the narrative creates euphoria for those thrust into the limelight
by a collage of often irrelevant and insensitive words.
What
is the narrative, and why is it important? It is an account of an event. It
can be a spoken or written account of an event or related events, the narrated
part or parts of a literary work, as distinct from dialogue, the practice or
art of telling stories, or a representation of a particular situation or
process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an overarching set of aims or
values. Whether true or false, narratives play a crucial role in shaping how
information is presented and perceived in news and other aspects of
communication and storytelling.
Let's
consider a not-so-typical news story. This news story supports the victim
narrative. “Black People Perceived as
‘Disabled’ Due to the Impact of Systemic Racism” – Radical Class Curriculum
Ignited Debates About Racism.
A
recent development at a major university has ignited debates about racism, as a
class curriculum scheduled for the upcoming semester suggests that Black people
can be perceived as “disabled” due to the impact of systemic racism.
The
course in question gained credence because a noted professor who specializes in
women, gender, and sexuality studies and has raised eyebrows for its
incorporation of a well-known book has decided to teach the class.”
Now, let's consider a typical news story.
“John Smith, a murderer who served fifteen years in prison, saved three
children and their mother from drowning. Their mother had fallen asleep and
crashed her car into Sonic River. While walking along the river edge, John Smith, a homeless and unemployed laborer,
saw the car crash into the water. According to John, Seeing the car crash into
the water, without thinking of his safety, he sprung into action.”
John
Smith is the hero, but the storyteller tells us of a different person. The
narrative gives us several unnecessary pieces of information. John is a felon, homeless, and unemployed,
yet he saves the life of four people. Based on the narrative without
documentation, we can conclude John is of a minority culture; therefore, John
is not in control of the narrative.
The
art of controlling or shaping the narrative is a tool used to maintain power.
Controlling the narrative can deprive others, especially races or cultures, of
respect, social influence, and the ability to define reality. Stories in
the media shape our home and worldview, and we tend to let them do so
uncritically. If the narrative is the most critical asset, who controls the
narrative? Everybody is doing it — governments, businesses, and public figures.
To hold power is synonymous with shaping and controlling the narrative as you
see fit.
Controlling
the narrative can be seen in large organizations with lots of power, such as
governments, media, religious institutions, large corporations, and NGOs. The
term NGO is used inconsistently and sometimes synonymously with civil
society organization (CSO), any association founded by
citizens. NGOs are nonprofit organizations in some countries, and
political parties and trade unions are sometimes considered NGOs.
To
control the narrative is to control how people think about you or a particular
action or themselves. You don’t leave it up to them to form their own
opinion. Instead, you interpret the facts for them. Regaining or
retaining control of the narrative is one of the most essential tools in a
narcissist’s toolbox. Controlling the narrative can be beneficial for the
manipulator for many reasons. They can decide whether they are the hero
deserving praise or the victim needing sympathy.
Some
cultures pride themselves on playing the role of the victim and go to great
lengths to preserve the narrative. Maintaining the narrative of a victim can be
a source of financial compensation. Any reference to slavery to be accepted must
be in the negative. To say that enslaved people benefited from slavery is not
acceptable because the accepted narrative does not support this conclusion.
When discussing specific core issues, it is not a question of what is true or
false; it is whether the narrative and the agenda support each other. This
agreement is necessary to prevent any indication of disinformation. Disinformation is correct or incorrect
information intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by a government
organization to a rival power or the media:
Gaslighting
is a form of psychological abuse in which a person or group causes someone to
question their sanity, memories, or perception of reality. People who
experience gaslighting may feel confused, anxious, or unable to trust
themselves. The term “gaslighting” comes from the name of a 1938 play and
1944 film, Gaslight, in which a husband manipulates his wife into thinking she
has a mental illness. Gaslighting is a mind-manipulation tool and is
particularly powerful in unequal relationships, especially regarding race, gender,
and sexuality.
Controlling the narrative also means influencing or manipulating public opinion or perception by controlling the information presented.
