Episode 7: Remembered and Remembered Again
In Episode 7 of Narrative Machines, "Remembered and Remembered Again," we interrogate the tension between the popular belief in linear societal progress and the inherently cyclical nature of revolution. Using the fall of the Berlin Wall as a symbolic entry point, we explore recurring patterns of upheaval, shifting power dynamics, and enduring social inequalities within revolutionary movements. By examining examples such as Egypt’s Arab Spring and China's Long March, it illustrates how revolutions often ultimately produce outcomes that contradict their original ideals.
We examine how narratives and media shape public perception and drive collective behavior. The spread of misinformation and political propaganda reveals how storytelling reinforces authority, sustains power structures, and can erode individual autonomy. Recent policy shifts and social movements highlight this dual function—myths and narratives can unify, but also serve as tools of implicit social control, as explored in earlier episodes.
“Remembered and Remembered Again” urges listeners to evaluate our stories of the past and remain aware of the cycle of hope, disillusionment, and collective forgetting that accompany revolutions. The episode promotes a balanced perspective on history, acknowledging ideological influences while understanding the human inclination toward overly optimistic narratives regardless of ideology.
This concludes the first “season” of Narrative Machines. We are taking a break to return to Season 3-4 of the Fallen Cycle Mythos fiction podcast. Check it out from the beginning if you haven't been listening along, and we will return here with more nonfiction material as it is ready.
Topics:
Challenging the myth of progress: The episode urges skepticism toward simplistic notions of linear progress, arguing that historical advancements are often intertwined with setbacks, inequalities, and seemingly intractable conflict.
Cyclical nature of revolutionary movements, with examples including Egypt’s Arab Spring, Britain’s Glorious Revolution, the French Revolution, and revolutions in China and Russia.
The symbolic implications of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The complex relationship between globalization and revolutionary dynamics.
Role of myth-making in shaping historical narratives, illustrated by Stalin’s historical revisions and Mao’s narrative of the Long March.
Risks and limitations of oversimplifying collective identities and categorizing groups.
Analysis of propaganda as a strategic and universally applicable tool across various political ideologies.
Sociopolitical dynamics between state authorities and revolutionary movements, including considerations of authoritarianism, liberal democracy, and anarchy.
Examination of psychological strategies employed by revolutionary propaganda, such as exploiting hope, fear, and collective identity.
Discussion of individual agency versus collective mythologies and the implications for historical and social understanding.
The influence of editorial power and media on public memory and historical documentation.
Contagion theory and minority influence in shaping social consensus and revolutionary outcomes.
The philosophical implications of assemblage theory in understanding collective identity and social structures.
Visit Jamescurcio.com/narrative-machines or ModernMythology.net for affiliated projects and podcasts.
