Bad Uncles and Cheap Storytelling Tricks
Respect your audience by respecting the physics of cause and effect
When I was a kid, I had an uncle¹ who used to play tricks on us at family parties. He wouldn’t play tricks on everyone at the party, just the kids who, being little, were little threat to him.
For instance, he’d use his greater strength to crush my hand in a handshake, inflicting real pain. He’d laugh as I cried out, then mock me for complaining.
That wasn’t his only trick. He’d quiz me about current events, or challenge me with riddles, and if I was ignorant, or couldn’t figure out the riddle, he’d lord his knowledge over me. I’ve blocked some of the dumb things he used to say, but I remember his mocking laughter, and how I despised his presence.
He’s dead now
When I was older and on more equal footing, I could handle his immaturity. That’s what it was: an old guy feeling superior by tricking a kid is an act of immaturity.
When I complained to my father, he told me to kick the son of a bitch in the balls. That wasn’t really helpful.
But this is a newsletter about storytelling, and the illustrative point is that sometimes a storyteller will hide critical knowledge from the audience and then reveal it at…
