writing

Stories

everyone is a storyteller. there are stories we tell ourselves to keep our inner worlds from shattering. there are stories we tell others to curate what they may think of us. there are stories founders tell investors so that they may give them more money. there are stories that corporate leaders will tell you to make you think that they care (spoiler: they don't).

In the last year I learned the hard way how a dangerous mix of authority and charisma gives people the power to sway others. Often against their better judgement. smooth talking corporate climbers making sweeping statements about company direction, and how the 'time is ripe' to be 'shipping fast' and using our 'unfair advantage'. these people will only be grateful to their 'world-class' team when they need them to work nights and weekends, and then put on a show about efficiency and how we must work like 'seal teams' when their decisions led to sub-optimal business outcomes.

you'd think that people would catch on and revolt against this pattern of behaviour. but this never happens. because there are the stories they tell us, and then there are the stories we tell ourselves. to numb our minds to the pain and frustration of seeing things clearly.