The term “narrative” can be understood as a synonym of “story.” I’m more interested in the looser understanding of the term as a form of abstraction or representation of processes, relationships, situations, and, yes, stories. Narrative is a form of [cognitive scaffolding](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/zWSH2QNUsrTGP4V15JBaaEv) because it creates emotional involvement while supporting understanding → [Narrative as cognitive scaffolding - Andy’s Working Notes](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/zEhGSbBPbgmh7Ce1VQS2RPk): > As a narrative progresses, it highlights connections between elements which might be difficult for a novice to observe. It may also remind participants of relevant prior material to draw on. These kinds of supports allow the participant to focus on object-level material initially, without losing sight of the big picture. > Narratives fuel emotional involvement by offering **interpretation, possible implications, and connection** to an invested author. Over time, the participant may build their own emotional involvement with the topic, but it can be helpful to scaffold this as well. Narratives aren't just “what happened”; they offer implications, interpretations, and connections. It’s a broader term than a story because unlike the terms “story” and “plot” it’s not only about cause-and-effect. “Narrative” feels closer to the idea of *what things mean* when they happen, why and how they happen *across disparate stories*, who *matters*, and who doesn’t. ## Quotes [𝖒𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖊𝖑𝖈𝖚𝖗𝖟𝖎 on Twitter](https://twitter.com/michaelcurzi/status/1795238730262859802): > Many think 'the point of a movie is its message'. But 'messages' are the wrong approach to many good movies. Good art shows a part of reality. It's often more fruitful to ask whether and how broadly it shows the sides of a thing, rather than trying to guess the artist's opinion > *Quote RT of [alz on X](https://x.com/alz_zyd_/status/1795092530490388845):* > > Whiplash is an excellent movie because the non-grinders see it as a warning message of the horrors that can happen to you if you grind too hard, whereas the grinders see it as a grotesquely triumphant celebration of the grind [Prem Thakker on Twitter](https://twitter.com/prem_thakker/status/1840908286079520955): > Remarkable how this segment opens with Ta-Nehisi Coates describing how narrative helps shape “who we believe is human, who we don’t believe is human,” and then the entire rest of the segment just proves his point in real-time > *Quote RT of [CBS Morning Show](https://x.com/CBSMornings/status/1840749848703770679):* > > Ta-Nehisi Coates’ new book, “The Message,” is a trio of interconnected essays that examine how the stories people tell — or avoid telling — can shape and even distort reality: “I am most concerned always with those that don’t have a voice.” \[Interview clip] [https://cbsn.ws/4gJxe2g](https://t.co/bDsBxZMbah) ## See also - [[Mental models]] - [[Things can be defined by what they are not|system of differences]] - [[Semantic drift]] - [[Notes on symbolic and embodied representations]] - [[The Signal and the Corrective]] #core-term #narratives