What story conventions or values are repeatedly shown in Western fiction which therefore shape our thinking? Things like:
- Heroes triumph and there is a happy ending (as opposed to villain triumph or a non-definitive stalemate)
- The heroes’ triumph is focused on a return to the status quo ante, rather than remaking things; disrupters are the villains
- Choosing a path that maximises individual desire or passion is the right one (“follow your heart”)
- We should value cultural differences (cf Sesame Street bilingual songs etc)
- Economic advantage that comes from being a magnet for talented immigrants — implies constant cross-cultural contact — requiring this work of cultural acceptance.
- People without experience or pedigree are often heroes — we should not defer to elders or aristocrats
Metaphors We Live By
https://twitter.com/emollick/status/1623398957945880577?s=46&t=T1Qf04lEeUU-CblcR2vZ-g
Related:
Ethical actors can lose