#18: Dave Bricker - The Meta-truth of Storytelling

Does lying ever serve a higher truth? Why is it better to be a journeyist than a journalist? Is marketing ever more than manipulation? Learn the answer to these and other fascinating topics as the Rabbi and the Shrink discuss the interplay between fact and fiction with business presentation coach and storysailor Dave Bricker. https://storysailing.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbricker/ 1:30  Do the stories we tell have to be 100% true? Our job as storytellers is to transport the audience Be a journeyist, not a journalist:  Your story is a metaphor to inspire and teach The story vs. the meta-story “Disbelieve everything I say; I am telling the truth.” How much creative license are we allowed? Life doesn’t unfold in a neat order Blend details for narrative effect Miracle -- a true story that embellishes facts 9:00 When is the truth not good enough? Drama vs. documentary Don’t we all have different versions of the truth, anyway? You can end up being accurate but not interesting 14:00 At what point am I fabricating? Should we be teaching children about Santa Claus? The unpleasant history of our most enduring children’s story 19:00 The Hebrew words for truth and falsehood contain deeper meanings “Distance yourself from a false word or thing” When is it truthful to lie? There’s more to truth than facts… But now we can rationalize anything How Aaron the High Priest brought people closer together 22:30  What’s the difference between a salesperson and a con artist? One delivers on his or her promises The difference between fooling people and delighting them The psychology of marketing: service or manipulation? Don’t I have a duty to convince others of the value I can provide them? Does it matter what you bait the hook with? 28:00 Political and religious evangelism Pushing vs. pulling in sales If we don’t believe in ourselves or in those we serve, we resort to unethical tactics 33:00 Sometimes intention makes all the difference, sometimes no difference That’s the grayness of ethics with which we have to grapple Fictionalizing the truth? Narrative vs. parable Stories carry truth better than facts 39:00 Word of the day:  Streeteries -- restaurants that move their establishment onto the street because of COVID Words evolve as culture evolves It’s important to preserve the integrity of language and thought while adapting to a changing world Ethical principles don’t change but situations do, so we’re called on us to navigate the complexities of life by following our moral compass 42:00  Is it possible to stay neutral when telling a story? Always take a position of service and promote transformation 43:30  James Thurbur’s retelling of Little Red Riding Hood Classic stories evolve into classic spinoffs The lessons keep giving