Why some narratives are really easy to fall for

Jun 12, 2024
That is an version of The Atlantic Every day, a e-newsletter that guides you thru the most important tales of the day, helps you uncover new concepts, and recommends the most effective in tradition. Join it right here.Who actually advantages from distant work? Is it true that politicians must be anti-immigration to win elections? Every episode of Good on Paper, the brand new podcast hosted by my colleague Jerusalem Demsas, delves right into a misunderstood coverage concern that deserves extra nuanced evaluation. I spoke with Jerusalem about how some narratives get lodged within the public’s thoughts and the hazards of tales that really feel true however aren’t.First, listed below are three new tales from The Atlantic:A Method to SimplifyStephanie Bai: Why do you assume sure narratives can turn into so entrenched, even when the details don’t assist them? And why are different narratives extra prone to fade?Jerusalem Demsas: Narratives are a approach of simplifying a very difficult world. Compelling ones comply with story constructions that we’re used to seeing: a villain and a hero, a nasty developer versus a mom who’s struggling to get her children via faculty. These sorts of narratives are compelling as a result of there’s a spark of fact in them, which is that there are energy struggles on the planet; there are winners and losers. Many narratives stick as a result of they reaffirm our personal opinions and views, however that may be actually harmful: Simply because one thing feels true doesn’t imply that it's.The narratives that don’t stick are normally those which can be extra difficult. There isn’t at all times a clear-cut good man and unhealthy man. Usually we’re simply present in techniques the place a bunch of individuals act in their very own self-interest; a few of them try to do...

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