Narratives and the art of deception

In the world of finance, there’s a saying: “Markets are driven by numbers, but they run on stories.”

This adage, though rooted in the financial realm, aptly captures the essence of a broader phenomenon of politics, media, healthcare, you name it.

Our societies are steered by narratives. For ages, everyone who wants to connect with people has employed the power of story to sway, charm, and at times, even deceive.

The Allure of a Good Story

The stories are used everywhere to depict complex things to make them easily connect to emotions.

Instead of sharing information as mere facts, when told using compelling stories, it resonates with our fears, hopes, or aspirations.

For millania, the stories have been most powerful tool to pass information.

Imagine our ancestors had experienced catastrophic floods, to pass this information to the next generation, which method would be effective?

1. Telling mere facts about floods or
2. Narrating a story of how things happened, the tragedy of floods, the heroics, and sacrifices makes a better connection.

Definitely the latter right?

Facts of how many died, and how much property, and money was lost though useful, don’t leave lasting impressions. It becomes mere statistics.

That is why religion, politicians, and business leaders rely on stories to communicate their ideas.

Take this politician posting a photo of having lunch with an economically poor family or a cover image by a media of a child that depicts the war ravages.

These work, because, unlike cold hard data, the pictures with few words, evoke our emotions. They are relatable, personal, and have the power to simplify complex ideas.

Or take in advertising space that runs on narrative.

Think back to the most memorable advertising campaign. The chances are again they didn’t just throw numbers or facts at you. If coke puts out an ad like this, would really many buy it?

But Coke being the #1 brand knows, what stokes emotions and they show instead below and use the word happiness vs. nutrition facts/calories etc!!

Now does really Coke create happiness?

No scientific facts exist but then once our emotions are hooked, who cares??

To study this effect, there were recent studies done that showed when information is presented as stories combined with powerful narratives, emotional words, and visual appeals, our brain lights up 80% and becomes highly attentive.

On the other hand, the same information when presented with facts and figures only a small portion say 20% of the brain lights up.

Using stories is the most powerful way to get people to buy your ideas.

But here’s where it gets interesting (and a tad bit sinister).

There is a flip side to this!

Especially in today’s world of social media with overloaded information access and short attention spans.

The Psychology of Deception

The very attributes that make stories captivating are what make them the perfect vehicle for deception.

This kind of deception has been the key weapon used by the same politicians, businesses, healthcare institutions, and even ideologists.

Having known this power of psychology, these people are perfect in crafting narratives that, while not technically false, are designed to lead audiences toward a specific, often skewed, perception.

To build these narratives a common story arc is used, that is

PROBLEM -> STRUGGLE -> REWARD

For example, Marxist ideology uses a narrative that is built upon

PROBLEM => exploitation.

STRUGGLE => revolution by destroying or eliminating certain sections of people and

REWARD => a classless/egalitarian society.

You hear these from many political parties.

Or take a climate activist who says

PROBLEM => global warming,

STRUGGLE => Get rid of fossil fuels

REWARD => Future with no rising temperature.

Now are these problems really authentic, the struggle ethical, reward really possible?

But when told with narratives using strong emotions, most people care less and get carried about the narrator’s point of view!

Audiences get convinced as their emotions are driven first and objectivity takes a back seat.

Politicians are not the only ones who use story arcs effectively. In the world of finance, deception is used effectively.

Many investors keep losing money in IPOs and other investments because they are driven by the narratives told by founders, and merchant bankers.

Stories of savvy business owners who romanticize the problem using their humble beginnings, and then the struggle they went through, and make a fortune to reward the few initial shareholders are always captivating to lure new investors.

This way of narrative hooks many first-time investors who driven by emotion, ignore checking real facts about the company’s poor business and unethical practices.

In every case, The ultimate goal of these deceptive narrators is to shift focus. The audience is lured into a comforting, albeit deceptive, narrative with a specific purpose to fulfill the narrator’s self-interest.

Confirmation Bias: The Fuel to the Fire

If you wonder why we fall prey to the potency of deceptive narratives, it is because of our innate confirmation bias.

As humans the tendency to favor information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs is innate nature.

Politicians and businesses tap into this, crafting stories that align with widely held beliefs or prejudices.

Even if these stories are built on shaky grounds, they’re readily accepted because they fit into what many already believe.

The narrative, in essence, becomes self-perpetuating.

Seeing Through the Illusion

Recognizing the power of narrative deception is the first step in guarding against it.

Sometimes it is not comfortable to hear the truth because we don’t want our illusions destroyed.”

While it’s impractical (and honestly, a tad joyless) to dissect every story we come across, a healthy dose of skepticism can go a long way.

When faced with a compelling narrative, especially one that evokes strong emotions, it’s worthwhile to take a step back and ask:

• What is the underlying message here?
• Are there vested interests at play?
• And most importantly, am I accepting this narrative because it’s accurate, or merely because it aligns with my biases?

In Conclusion

The world runs on stories. While narratives are essential in giving meaning to numbers, facts, and events, they are also double-edged swords.

In the hands of savvy politicians and businesses, they can become tools of deception.

Being an informed citizen or consumer is not just about accumulating facts but understanding the narratives that frame them.

In the end, the most potent defense against deception isn’t skepticism, but awareness.

Awareness of the narratives we consume, the biases we hold, and the invisible strings that attempt to steer our perceptions.