Telling Our Story

by digby

In an interesting post over at op-ed news, Stephen Denning, an author and lecturer on the subject of narrative and leadership writes the following:

What’s the story that the new leaders will need to communicate? In broad outline, we know what it will be, both for Democrats and Republicans, since as Robert Reich has explained, there are only four stories in American politics:

· The Triumphant Individual. This is the familiar tale of the little guy who works hard, takes risks, believes in himself, and eventually gains wealth, fame, and honor. Although the Democrats, given their alliance with labor, used to own this story, the Republicans took it over by offering lower taxes. After six years of profligate spending, that won’t win this argument much longer. The winning narrative for both Republicans and Democrats must recognize that without resolving the crises in health and education, the economic future is bleak and there will be no triumphant individual.

· The Benevolent Community: “I have a dream,” said Martin Luther King Jr and JFK asked us what we could do for our country. Democrats used to own this issue until they became associated with failed poverty programs and handouts for the poor. Now Republicans are also in trouble as Katrina showed the unattractive reality of “compassionate conservatism” at home and the trashing of our allies has left America despised abroad. The winning narrative for both Democrats and Republicans here must obviously re-establish competence in coping with poverty and deprivation at home, while rekindling a spirit of internationalism abroad to solve global problems.

· The Mob at the Gates used to be the Nazis and then the Soviet evil empire. Now it’s terrorists, against whom we must maintain vigilance, lest diabolical forces overwhelm us. In recent times, Republicans have owned this story, but as disillusion with Iraq deepens and broadens, both Republicans and Democrats will have to recognize that the war on terror has been a war in error, and will need to wind down the misguided adventure in Iraq, sooner rather than later, so that energies and resources can refocused on real enemies.

· The Rot at the Top: Since the other three stories are usually so similar for both parties, the “rot at the top” story is usually the pivotal one in leading to change. With Richard Nixon, it was political malfeasance. With George H.W. Bush, it was economic incompetence. With Clinton, it was personal immorality. Now Democrats have abundant evidence that Republicans embody a culture of incompetence and corruption, while Republicans try to paint Democrats as divided, effete, liberal, pro-gay and anti-marriage and opposed to God.

I’m not persuaded by his analysis of how the parties use these narratives. But for the sake of argument, I will accept the notion that these are the four narratives of American politics. If that is so, then it’s clear to me that the modern Republicans have always used “The Mob At The Gates” very effectively — commies/negroes/liberals are the internal mob and commies/mexicans/terrorists are the external mob. But they also use “The Triumphant Individual” very well, by making the claim that it’s government that is preventing people from getting rich. Support the Republicans and you will gain “wealth, fame, and honor.”

In fact, in terms of modern politics, if you look at the “Mob At the Gates” and the “Triumphant Individual” you see that they are temperamentally conservative, and contain both a positive and negative message. “The Benevolent Community” and “Rot at the Top” are much more obviously liberal narratives and also contain both a positive and negative message. (The right does use “rot at the top” as part of their “mob at the gates” fulminating about liberals, but it’s a little bit strained.)

The problem is that I haven’t seen liberals present those narratives very effectively in years. Perhaps the problems stems from the muddling of the message during the 80’s and 90’s when the leadership decided to try third way politics. Third Way doesn’t fit into any established narrative and people didn’t know what to make of it.

I actually believe in this narrative thing to some extent. I think the human race has been shaped by stories and I think our minds are conditioned to see things in narrative terms. If it’s true that there exist only four stories in American politics, and if my surmise is correct that they naturally fall into the two warring political tribes, then that’s where the Democrats have failed and where the Republicans have succeeded.

Perhaps it’s less important to come up with that pithy little list of “what we believe” than it is to think about how we can effectively tell our story of Benevolent Community and Rot At The Top to the American people.(I’d bet we could slide in a little “Triumphant Individual” in there too.) It’s quite clear the other side is dancing and singing their hearts out while we are presenting dry power-point presentations of our latest awesome 12 point plan.

It’s not that the Dems aren’t trying. Our latest slogan is all Benevolent Community: Together, America Can Do Better. It’s just that it sucks.

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