Parable: Story’s debt to Confusion
An origin story
Have you ever wondered where story came from? Draw close to my campfire, and I’ll tell you how. Once upon a time… in the Kingdom of the Mind, a magnificent ball was held to launch a Festival of Change.
Clarity
Clarity attended. When she entered the ballroom, she walked effortlessly in her seamless gown and simple shoes, perfect for dancing. Her gown was exquisite, not a single detail overdone. Guests could not help themselves; Clarity was riveting.
But she was also approachable. This quality made her rare, notable and, above all, memorable.
Up close, her face was serene, her breath even, her eyes clear, her voice warm, confiding, kind. No one’s composure at such a festive event matched Clarity’s. In her presence, people felt immediately at ease.
Anyone — man, woman or child — would have been honoured to dance with Clarity. The room was filled with anticipation as the orchestra struck its first bar. Who would she choose?
Confusion
Clarity chose Confusion. Onlookers gasped, their revels quelled, they stared at a pair they thought unlikely, improbable, doomed even.
On the dance floor the duo danced, bodies pressed and eyes locked. Something in their chemistry pinned the guests to the walls: ready as they were to dance, this was a time to watch and listen. Anticipation grew into expectancy, as the guests started to breathe in unison with the music and the dancing couple melted into one. Clarity and Confusion were a couple, inseparable, potent.
The silence after the song ended was momentary, like the suspension of a pendulum at the peak of its arc, reversing into applause.
A bond was forged on the ballroom floor. Later that bond — between Clarity and Confusion — was sealed. The promises they exchanged were eternal. The Kingdom of the Mind knew this union was rock-solid. Trusting the couple, the Kingdom’s consensus was that they should lead Change. Under their auspices, Change would continue on an ongoing basis. No longer a Festival, but a Constant.
Their twins: Structure and Attention
Leading Change was a big job, and took a great deal of their energy and creativity. Yet the pair maintained time for family. In time, their children were born. They were twins: Structure and Attention.
Structure’s temperament was dual. A cruel person might say he was two-faced.
Structure’s objective side was logical. But he could be a tease. Prone to hurt feelings and other strong negative emotions, Structure liked to withhold information, and like his father Confusion, mix up the order of things. Only in his case, the mix ups were intentional.
Attention too was a complicated soul.
Her laser-like focus made her good at learning, but also oblivious to others’ feelings. So she practiced roaming, and learned to notice things that were unconnected. She found her brother was very good at connecting them up.
Together, the siblings could make sense of the world.
The twins grew. They were skilled at making sense, and now they were ready to make meaning. However, the meanings they would make needed to be relevant to the family business. Otherwise, how would they earn their keep?Handmade Change was slow and hard to scale. This much was obvious. With the inventiveness of youth, the twins were determine to disrupt the Change traditions. They invented a meaning tool to help with Change. The tool was Story. We still use this tool today.
An influential family
Without Structure and Attention, we could form no stories.
Likewise Structure and Attention depend on a blend of Clarity and Confusion.
The family Clarity and Confusion founded became influential in the Kingdom of the Mind. Their descendants invented Education, the Natural Sciences and later the Experimental Sciences, Travel, Trade and Industry.
Such is our debt to Clarity and Confusion that to me, my presence here today is inconceivable without them. I too may be their kin. And you?
Kate Hammer PhD FRSA is a semiotician and commercial storyteller. Also a fiction writer, university teacher (FHEA), accredited work/life coach (ICF ACC) and trainee psychotherapist in the Existential Analysis method first formulated by Viktor Frankl. Based in London, UK, she works internationally with people and teams who want to lift the ceiling on what’s thought possible. An advocate of science and evangelist for applied creativity, she sees a clear link between making believe and making beliefs. Find her here on LinkedIn.
