There have been two issues in the news lately that have garnered a great deal of attention, not only by the news outlets but by social media users everywhere. It seems they have become too big to ignore online, and have even worked their way into classroom discussions where I work. The Kony 2012 campaign was huge news two weeks ago, until the tragic (I don’t think anybody will argue that the death of a teenager is tragic) shooting of Trayvon Martin. If either of these are unfamiliar to you, a quick Google search will tell you all you could ever want to know, and much, much more.
There are lessons to be learned about both issues as they have both played out in much the same way. Both tell compelling stories. The Kony 2012 campaign used a documentary format to encourage a stand against Joseph Kony, a man accused of using children to fight a war. Trayvon Martin was an unarmed teenager who was on vacation and was shot by a neighborhood watch captain.
Stories are powerful. They compel us to action. I think I stole it from Seth Godin but during my time as Executive Pastor at Mission 217 I encouraged our staff to, when possible, always tell compelling stories. Boring data, told as a compelling story, can compel people to movement in ways that data alone never could. Data tells the “what,” stories tell the “why” behind the “what.” Stories compel people to make rational decisions with emotional muscles.
People are up-at-arms about both issues. In 2 weeks the Kony 2012 video became one of the fastest growing viral videos of all time, and Invisible Children, the organization behind the video, had received over $15 Million in donations; this past weekend there were marches all over the country for people protesting the apparent racism in the Trayvon shooting. The power of story has compelled individuals around the country to get involved in these issues.
If you want to move people to your point of view tap into the power of stories, whether you are a church leader using stories of life change to encourage members to invite their friends to church, or you show the ease of using your competitor’s website to demonstrate why your company needs an upgrade, or you tell your parents how much help you could be if they bought you a car, tell stories today, not facts.
I know this post is going to get me into trouble and frankly I don’t care. If you are out of the NC news loop, or even the national news loop, Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former US Senator John Edwards, died this week of cancer. Her funeral is going to be held tomorrow in Raleigh and the two biggest stories about it in the news are talking about either how her husband cheated on her or how her funeral is going to be protested. Before I get into my primary point can we take a moment to recognize that we are a society and generation that cares very little for honor. Mrs. Edwards was a very successful lawyer and author, a mother, and a supportive wife for many years and ultimately she lost her fight with breast cancer. I have come to recognize how little honor there is in the world; I see it in churches, in student-teacher relations at school, I see it on Facebook like you wouldn’t believe and while I have come to terms with it while at the same time trying to change it within myself, I don’t think I have or at least not recognized, the deceased being dishonored in such a way.
