Fake News and Storytelling Ethics

Fake News and Storytelling Ethics

It is often said that we humans are hardwired for story, and story has become a much more used business and social medium. While ancient civilizations and indigenous peoples have used stories for good in conveying cultural, spiritual lessons, and different forms of story therapy exist in modern society (including coaching and counseling), a disquieting development is the emergence of forms of storytelling in politics and the business world where we see stories being used to manipulate and coerce, and even to deceive (fake news, astroturfing, some brand stories…).

⇨As we enter the 4th industrial revolution and a seemingly more fragile world, how compelling is the need for the development of a framework of story ethics?

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		2 Jaap de Jonge Editor, Netherlands
	Fake News and Stories Make me Angry When I was just a young kid, my parents already taught me that lying is wrong. I guess we all must have had similar lessons. Anyway, I feel annoyed when I'm confronted with fake news and fake stories that are being spread regularly nowadays by certain top politicians, totalitarian regimes and by companies. Even when there is overwhelming (scientific) evidence against their views which they tweet all over their many non-critical, uneducated, blind or obedient "followers". History taught us many times how dangerous charismatic leaders and totalitarian regimes with blind followers can be. Moreover, telling fake stores and fake news is pure contempt for the audience and denies the things that set human beings apart from animals: our ability to do good, to do research and to think. The worst thing is when those well-known spreaders of fake news start accusing the ones actually having scientific evidence of spreading fake news! We need to educate people and teach them to be willing to learn and be more critical. Ask for some proof or arguments when somebody is claiming something. And avoid media that allow anybody to say just anything.

		1 Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	Fake News and Storytelling Ethics in Business Absolutely Jaap. In the business world the sorts of things I witness: a leader or manager tells a st... Sign up

		2 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Story Versus Narrative Storytelling can be used in different ways. As noted, one way is as a form a persuasion using facts ... Sign up

		0 Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	Fake News and Storytelling Ethics I like that Gary. My own initial questions are Who says? So what? Why? Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck ha... Sign up

		1 Jaap de Jonge Editor, Netherlands
	Pathological Liars @Graham Williams: According to Michael A. Podgorski, Scott Peck in his book " People of the Lie" tha... Sign up

		1 Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	Fake News and Storytelling Ethics in Business There is a personal side to this also. We have all accumulated many fake stories internally - a libr... Sign up

		1 Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	Pathological Liars Many in our times are prey to pathological liars, deceivers with an absence of ethics and empathy, w... Sign up