October Review
The Narratives Project is now a whopping two months old!
Here’s what we broke down in October:
Expanding Our Methods
Last month, I noted that I was experimenting with different formats of analyses, as different types of stories often require different primary methods. I’ve developed these formats through the month, and I have two distinct methods: Narrative evolution and political hermeneutics.
The narrative evolution method is a diagrammatic breakdown of a news story, showing how information is being ommitted and mutated through many iterations of transmission. The Death of Walter Wallace Jr. is an example of this.
The political hermeneutics method is a breakdown of how people interpret cultural and political symbols differently. This can be seen in the latter half of The Rose Garden Massacre
Most analysis use a mix of both types, which I think offers a rounded discussion of these events, but different stories may necessitate a larger emphasis on one method over the other.
I’m considering write a white paper for the Narratives Project, which would offer a more in-depth discussion of these methods and the conceptual grounding of the project.
Into November We Go
This will be a very interesting and probably divisive month for American politics. It’s likely that there will be some delay in counting the votes, and it’s even possible that the election becomes contested.
The narratives this month will will be emotional, moral, and highly antagonistic. To the left, it’ll probably be a story of a dictatorial takeover. To the right, it’ll be a story about the DNC’s attempt to steal the election and undermine the will of the people.
But we’ll be right here in your inbox, offering analyses and breakdowns as best we can.
Thank you
I’m very thankful for your interest and support. I’m so pleased that people find these analyses useful.
And also, I’m deeply grateful for the financial support we’ve received over the last two months. These analyses take a lot of time and resources, and your support helps us do this more often.
If you haven’t, and would like to support this work, there’s a $7 a month paid subscription option, or you can make a one-time donation here.
As always, if you have any feedback or suggestions for how we can improve this, just reply to this email and I’ll do my best to get back to you ASAP.
All the best,
Shaun