It's a Trap!
The Rise of Storychangers
I was watching Matilda: the Musical with my kids the other day when I found myself having WAY too emotional of a reaction to little British children singing this happy, upbeat song.
“What’s happening with Dad again?” my daughter’s raised eyebrow suggested.
It was the line “I wonder why they didn’t change the story?” sung when Matilda realizes she possess the power to shift the status quo versus succumbing to it.
It hit me on a gut-soul level. This, my fellow creative problem solvers, is our adventure to seize.
In this age of CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT, 24/7, in 360 degrees, there lies a harsh reality: It’s no longer very interesting to simply be a storyteller. So instead, the temptation lots of people settle for is to become a “story-seller” (see: every Instagram ad ever).
The problem is, we all know what it feels like to be “sold” a story. It usually feels a little gross.
BUT… when we shift our focus on becoming storychangers, identifying what narratives out there are broken, what tropes no longer serve us, and what well-worn paths need a pivot, we open up an entire world of opportunity for meaningful, actionable work!
Resist the storyselling trap. There’s more mystery, excitement, and opportunity available than what our overly-automated content-firehose culture would have you believe.
What story do you long to change? Start there and never surrender.
Hey It’s CJ!
I’m back after a short Winter break with more fodder for storychangers! Next week I’ll be sharing the first episode of a project we’ve been working on at Reculture. It’s the story of an 8th grade class that goes on a field trip to settle their beef by rap battling each other…but there’s a twist. Stay tuned.