1. Ken Burns makes a bold statement: all story is manipulation - do you think this is too extreme?
a. Do you think he actually proves his point well, with his…story in this video?
b. He uses honesty to explain his story-telling - do you think honesty is a necessity to tell a good
story?
2. Transcending Boundaries: what do you think is the message of this story? How is Peace
represented by this narration and the two sides of this story?
3. In your own words, what is "dangerous" about the single story?
I feel Ken Burn's statement that all story is manipulation is an extreme but a valid method of proving his point. One could argue that not all facts are objective and even if they are, the storyteller can manipulate how he/she presents those facts to tell the story he/she wants to tell. By choosing the facts we present and how we present them, we tell the story we want to tell to influence our audience to think or act in such a certain way.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not think honesty is necessary to tell a story, it is necessary to tell a convincing story. You do not need honesty to invoke thought or fictional stories would have no literary relevance to our society. However, if we want to question our thought processes and social beliefs through a good story, the story must have some basis of fact that honesty reflects our current sentiments.