Re: Narratives LO3601

DHurst1046@aol.com
Thu, 2 Nov 1995 12:11:50 -0500

Replying to LO3483 --

Thanks Fran for the quote from Neil Postman about the role of narratives
(I also like his perspectives on technology).

"When the members of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) seek renewal they
try to understand how the values of the founder can be realized in the new
contexts in which they find themselves. To this end they go through the
"exercises" developed by Ignatius of Loyo... By "walking the walk",
stepping in the footsteps of their founder, they participate in the
activities that led to the founding of their institution. This is not an
intellectual activity. They develop no logic, no "map" of how to proceed.
But the feelings, the appreciation of the founder's values, generated by
the participation act as a compass needle, giving them a continual sense
of the direction in which to head...Good stories perform the same function
for us. They allow us to step in the steps of others who have gone before
us. They allow us to participate in the meanings that they made -- to see
the world through their eyes. Often set in different times and places,
these stories do not and cannot supply a "map" of the territory -- lists
of specific things to watch out for and do. But they should give us a
general sense of direction. Like a true compass, a good story says to its
readers "Follow me." (Quote from my book 'Crisis & Renewal: Meeting the
Challenge of Organizational Change" Harvard Business School Press, 1995)

So the "narrative knowing" of the humanities gives us compasses and
so-called "paradigmatic knowing" of the natural sciences gives us maps. Of
course maps are only of practical use in territories that have been
explored before...although in unexplored places any map can, as Karl Weick
suggestsu give us spurious psychological assurance that someone has been
there before us.

For a dense but helpful survey of the role of narrative see "Narrative
Knowing and the Human Sciences" by Donald E. Polkinghorne SUNY Press 1998.

--
David Hurst
Speaker, Consultant and Writer on Management
dhurst1046@aol.com