Narrative Construction as the only Path to a Peaceful Peasant Revolution

Thesis:

The aphorism, “history is not for sissies,” says it all. The human race has traveled on some pretty dark paths in arriving to the point that we now find ourselves. Worse yet, the future looks bleak as we contemplate the odds that are stacking up against humanity ever finding a path toward a unified human race. A hundred years from now, will a peaceful society still only exist in science fiction? Peace is nothing more than a decision to compromise, so how do we get the word out to our political leaders that a majority of us are willing to make that compromise, and that the warmongers, even if in the majority, should be over-ruled by laws that enforce peace? The answer, of course, is to construct a compelling narrative that makes compromise a desirable lifestyle choice, and then get the word out to everybody. Yes, that seems like an over-simplification, but the goal of this book is nothing short of that. Enough “peasants” have died in battles for democracy in various revolutions throughout the history of the Earth, so it is time to try a different kind of revolution. Instead of changing regimes by force, we should instead  be focused on changing minds.

Organizational Statement:

This chapter will first explain how disruption of existing social codes will be critical to the displacement of existing narratives. Once the internal wiring of existing social codes is exposed, it is then critical to have the compelling new narratives ready in order to fill the void. We will then explain how technology, including social media, will play a central role in doing that. The chapter will close by explaining how important it will be in this entire process to not only have a compelling new narrative, but to also, to the degree possible, simultaneously displace all of the competing (and discordant) narratives that will emerge when the dominant one becomes vulnerable to questioning after being disrupted.

Argument and Examination:

Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the Star Trek saga, knew about artistic creativity in narrative construction. More than 40 years ago he famously said, “If man is to survive, he will have learned to take a delight in the essential differences between men and between cultures. He will learn that differences in ideas and attitudes are a delight, part of life’s exciting variety, not something to fear” (Sackett, 2002). Roddenberry’s career is marked by firsts as he pushed deeply entrenched narratives into the background with things such as the first (faked) inter-racial kiss on public television.

Works Cited

Sackett, S. (2002). Inside Trek: My secret life with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Tulsa, OK:Hawk Publishing Group