No, it's not truth and there is no evidence. Emotionally resonant narratives are important to us and they are how we consistently think about morality and psychology and emotion and relationships. But they are not true. Bible stories are not true. Jungian archetypes are not true.
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Replying to @HPluckrose @VirgilMSW
If a narrative has an effect, then it has evidence. But I think we are off the rails on a semantic argument, where everyone is close in meaning but using different definitions
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Replying to @darrylrichard23 @VirgilMSW
There's evidence of an effect. eg, if a narrative of a caliphate causes people to blow themselves and many others up, there is evidence they have done this. It's not evidence of the truth of the truth claim which made them do it.
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It is not semantic to separate emotional, psychological and behavioural effects of a narrative from the factual truth or falsity of the claims within it. That is essential.
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Replying to @HPluckrose @VirgilMSW
I don't follow. In what way do stories make claims?
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Replying to @darrylrichard23 @VirgilMSW
??? Consider the bible. Consider news stories. Consider propaganda stories and inspirational narratives. If they make us feel good or seem to have a profound meaning but are not established to be true factual accounts, we must say this.
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Replying to @HPluckrose @darrylrichard23
What would you say to what I have seen? That if people follow behaviors seen in hero myths, there is a positive correlation with wellbeing. What do we call these observations, it seems the word truth applies but in a different way then in speaking to facts.
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Replying to @VirgilMSW @darrylrichard23
You can say that people can experience positive benefits from following narratives which are not true. If evidenced, it is true that this happens. The narrative remains untrue. Perhaps someone is inspired by the bravery and honest of Harry Potter?
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Joe Rogan gave a good example. Believing that porcupines can throw their spines could prevent people from getting close to porcupines and reduce risk of accidentally touching it and injuring self. There is a benefit to believing that. It doesn't become true.
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Replying to @HPluckrose @darrylrichard23
Yeah I remember that conversation and it does make a lot of sense. Especially with po-mo's truth of infinite interpretations these types of pragmatic narrative wisdom are open for exploitation and just bad interpretations.
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They're just really unnecessary when you can say 'It helps to believe this but it isn't true.' In his post-truth book, d'Acona looks at 'deep stories' like the narrative behind MAGA. It feels true and is held as more true than the actual truth.
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