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Quote of the Day: Which Story Will Last?
“I am specifically concerned with fiction because that is what I write. There is a certain embarrassment about being a storyteller in these times when stories are considered not quite as satisfying as statements and statements not quite as satisfying as statistics; but in the long run, a people is known, not by its statements or its statistics, but by the stories it tells.”* — Flannery O’Connor, 1957
As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, I’m quoting Flannery O’Connor this month because an effort has begun to “cancel” her, which is not surprising as she was a Catholic in good standing who supported what is good in Western Culture and the Christian faith. (Along with being one of the great writers of the 20th century.)
I found the above quote interesting because I don’t believe it is any longer true, the first part of it anyway. In the mid-20th century, the leaders of opinion wanted to believe they were driven by just “the facts” and reason. Stories didn’t matter.
As much as the left talks about “science” these days, it has become very clear that they, perhaps all of us, are led by narratives, by stories. But while the left believes in the daydreams they made up in their heads the day before yesterday, born of jealousy, sloth, and spite, the right is trying to hold on to the stories of old; of Moses and St. Paul and Shakespeare and Adam Smith and Washington and Lincoln and Martin Luther King. We will see soon whose Story of America is remembered.
* From “In the Protestant South,” an essay in Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose, a collection of various writings of Flannery O’Connor.
Published in General
I think she was very insightful with this observation. Today the stories being told are predominately false narratives of systemic racism, peaceful riots, evil capitalism, worker exploitation, man-made climate change, gender bending, Russian collusion, Vet hating. We as a society need to recognize and vigorously refute the false narratives. Even more importantly, we need to express the stories of inherent goodness, optimism and greatness of Western culture.
As a story teller, I would very much like to think it is the stories that will last.
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There is also the Group Writing Project. This month, the theme is a very speculative one: If I was a —, I would —. It looks as if Clifford has nine open dates in the future.
If you haven’t written much on Ricochet, these projects are easy ways to get involved.
@nohaaj The Right needs to recover storytelling. The problem we’re in today is that over the years, we’ve somehow allowed storytelling to be taken over almost exclusively by the Left.
@arahant I’ve never met a single person who has a beloved dataset, but I’ve met plenty of people who have a favorite story. Though, perhaps, this is because I don’t get out much…
But, but…My Precioussss spreadsheets!
I agree with Flannery. Yes, the Left uses narrative to sway people, but they do it under the pretext of “science” (sneer quotes intentional). Despite the multitude of lies (false narratives), they’ve captured the “science” to use toward their ends — ultimate power.
From my own QOTD:
This is the central debate of this election and all elections in America, really. The Left votes for scientism — expert rule as religious belief. The Right votes for liberty.
@Arahant That looks more like the seed of a story to me, or possibly a random encounter table (same difference).
It is. It’s one page of the workbook from which I generate characters for one of my science fiction series.
I totally must do that now, you know.
I am from Georgia and just cringed when I saw Flannery attacked at a Catholic (!!!!!!!!!!) college. Of course story lasts longer. I know the name of Homer. Who was the local actuary?
Did you want me to send you the workbook? You can put in your own data. 😁
Reminds me of an old viking story.
If they end up cancelling her, make sure you download this…
https://youtu.be/sQT7y4L5aKU
It’s her reading “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.”