Draft - Thesis outline Irma

Isn't the alternative truth all we have?

A research on the cause and effect of storytelling

WHAT

I want my thesis to be about the cause and effect of storytelling, the methods of the rhetorics behind the manipulation. The way the story is told is very relevant to judge the trustworthiness of the information. But how important is it that a story is true? Is there is such a thing as Plato call's a noble lie? What is noble? Was Edward Bernays intention noble if we would analyze his book organizing Choas? I think I believe there is an ultimate truth, but couldn't you say that the truth is always subjective interpretation? That there would always exist an alternative version of my interpretation of truth and therefore I could never tell the truth?

HOW

The idea is to structure my thesis in a magazine structure, you could think of fictional interviews, small essays, film review, comic, etc. I think it is interesting to shape my thesis story into a form that connects to the target audience I'm aiming for. Herby, I would like to keep in mind the writing "rules" from George Orwell, I would like to give information in an approachable way. The form is the applesauce and the information/knowledge the necessary vegetables you need to eat to be healthy.(Does this make sense? Or is 't a Dutch think to mix applesauce to make their children eat vegetables?)

WHY

It is a heated discussion these days, in mass media as well in social media. Should we demand the truth although it is so hard to get a reliable story across? In this discussion, I miss the awareness of the tools of storytelling.

Preface: Artistic work method, lying for the greater good

In this chapter, I would like to introduce the reader to the themes within my work and this thesis. I want to give some insight on my choice of this magazine approach, what goals I had in mind with certain articles and how the research effects my main thesis question and my work as an artist.

In my artistic practice, I like to play with the language of communication and how this influence the interpretation of the audience. In some ways, it feels like a simple trick, but these tricks are used on a day to day bases and do affect us if we like it or not. This thesis is representing my own personal struggle: I do believe there is an ultimate truth, somethings happen in one way, not multiple ways. Therefor the problem lies in the communication of an event.

but couldn't you say that the truth is always subjective interpretation? That there would always exist an alternative version of my interpretation of truth and therefore I could never tell the truth?

When I try to explain my thesis outline to people within my bubble, I do get the response 'But don't we already know that media, politicians, and marketers lie to us?' I guess this is true, so how relevant is this research on the rhetorics of storytelling? My point of view today is that I wonder why we, me too, except that information could be (or probably is) a lie or misinterpretation? Why did we stop demanding the truth and accepting that they manipulate our interpretation? There is a difference between presenting only the bright side and an alternative fact.

CHAPTOR 1: When the marketing approach penetrated into Mass Media Communication, and how this influences our daily view on information

Did politics change when Edward Bernays started advising President John Calvin Coolidge Jr.? Was this the moment marketing tactics entered politics? And what would happen if the gossip around Mark Zuckerberg running for the presidency would be true? How far can he influence our opinion with all the data he collected over the years? Let's assume there are politicians whit good intentions and want to tell the truth and confidence the public with honest facts, what do they have to do to fight back? Does the good guy need a better spindoctor?

• News- The war on facts
• Trump VS Press
• Noam Chomsky VS Press
• Edward Bernays

CHAPTER 2: The power of the Storyteller

A fictional conversation about the storytelling techniques with Charlie Kaufman VS Edward Bernays

CHAPTER 3: I'm online therefore I am

The freedom/duty of representing yourself as a persona

• Rachel Dolezal - a white woman pretending to be black.
• Social media -
• Jacques Lacan - mirror stage
• Socrates

CHAPTER 4: Is truth is in the eyes of the beholder?

If you look at researches done within Neuroscience, how reliable could a human brain be? Could you trust what you see is the truth? I think the brain has a very important role in the interpretation of information I'm fascinated to explore this knowledge of "system" thinking, the common cognitive biases and roles of the different parts of the brain

• We are our brain - Dr. Swaab
• Wired for Storytelling - Lisa Cron
• Thinking fast and slow - Daniel Kahneman
• How Stories Change the Brain - Article by Pal J. Zak

CHAPTER 5: Analysing artists who have a similar a method of manipulation in their artistic practice

• The YESmen
• Floris Kaayk

Commenting/bringing the news in a lighter/creative way

• Southpark
• News satire television program's such as Daily Show

Philosophy, not as a chapter by itself, but a guideline throughout

• Socrates
• Plato - the notion of the noble lie
• Aristotle
• Nietzsche - there are no facts, only interpretations
  • theory on Self-overcoming, trying to become a better version of your self, become who you really are, aim to be a superman (ubermensch)
    • Own up to Envy, use it as a guide to what we really want. See what you envy as a goal or role model.
    • Don't be a Christian (or don't follow
    • Never drink alcohol
    • God is death

• • The religion of comfortableness

What makes a reliable big other to follow?

Maybe this is the strange duck in my research, although I think this is a relevant theme within my practice.

Bibliography

• ROLAND BARTHES
• The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation
• "The Big Other doesn't exist" - Slavoj Zizek
• The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
• Jacques Lacan - mirror stage
• MANUFACTURING CONSENT The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky (1988)
• Manufacturing Consent - Noam Chomsky And The Media-The Companion Book To The Award-Winning Film by Peter Wintonick and Mark Achbar (1994)
• The Propaganda Model: a retrospective by Edward S. Herman
• The Century of the Self -Adam Curtis

• We are our brain - Dr Swaab
• Wired for Story telling - Lisa Cron
• Thinking fast and slow - Daniel Kahneman
• Plotting and Writing suspense fiction - Patrica Highsmith
• Post-truth by Matthew Dáncona

Link to 5 summaries

Link to 5 summaries of relevant articles, books or videos in 200 words

Irma's First thesis draft

Irma's First Draft with notes