I have been hearing the word narrative thrown around a lot in the news and in counter-news articles.
umm, reality isn’t a storybook – so what does this even mean?
Note: I did a quick search about narrative first and found only [one relevant eli5](https://redd.it/b8utov), but I don’t understand it… so if we’re actually talking about the same thing then I need an ELI5 on their ELI5
In: Culture
It’s the interpretation or “spin” you put on a story or a situation. Choosing which facts to include in the story and which to leave out, choosing how to describe people or their actions, and choosing whose perspective to take, are all part of turning a factual account into a narrative.
The term is usually used in discussing politics. But you are also “controlling the narrative” or “serving the narrative” whenever you use stories to persuade people or get them on your side about something.
Your resume is a narrative about your career and skills – you’re going to include jobs and accomplishments that make you look good, and leave off or minimize ones that make you look bad.
You can even see people framing a narrative in subs like AITA – the first version of a story usually makes the teller look really sympathetic and the other person look bad. If more details come out in discussion, the situation can look different.
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