Visibility: Our Stories.

I have fallen into that rut. Sometime we figure data and facts will change people minds but in reality it puts them to sleep. It is our stories that change minds.

Why Arnold Schwarzenegger’s video to Russians is a master class in how to get people to reconsider their views
It’s not about simply giving misinformed people more information. It’s about reaching them on an emotional level.
Poynter
By: Angie Drobnic Holan
March 22, 2022


It’s hard for fact-checkers to admit it, but sometimes all the evidence, sources and citations in the world won’t change people’s minds. Our work is beloved by those who are truly open-minded. But to people who already have a firm set of beliefs glued in place? Not so much.

Still, we stay hopeful that misinformation can be corrected and people can move off of previously held positions when they get new information. Over the years, we’ve talked to psychologists, researchers and other experts many times about how to reach people held in misinformation’s grip.

Contrary to what you might think, it’s not about simply giving them more info. It’s about reaching them on an emotional level.

It is our stories that change minds.

The article goes on to list the strategies to bring about changes.

• Start in a friendly way. 
• Humanize yourself and your audience.
• Recognize the other side’s good intentions.
• Acknowledge your own side gets it wrong, too. 
• Use simple, direct language. Avoid sounding pretentious or superior.
• Don’t get bogged down in overly complicated evidence. 
• Don’t make the listener’s side into the villain.
• Let people know that you care about them on a personal level.
• Give people a comfortable framework for thinking differently. 

The article ends with,

People can’t hear a message when they feel like the messenger is hostile. Sometimes when we see people argue on the internet, both sides come off as arrogant, hostile or superior, even when one side has the better part of the argument. Schwarzenegger’s video is none of that. It remains to be seen whether his video reaches everyday Russians through the internet or other channels, even in the face of censorship by the Russian government. But if it does, he has spoken in a way that people will be able to hear what he has to say.

Get that chip off your shoulders.

Back before marriage equality bill was passed I went around the state with the people from Love’s Makes a Family talking about the gender inclusive non-discrimination bill. The story that I told was about going to a one of those grease and oil change places.

I told about the time I was in the waiting room and the whole shop had to come in and take a look at me.

The head of LMF told me that after my talks people came up to her asking how they call their legislators, she said that they never had people so moved to take action.

It is our stories that change minds.