Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era

Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era | Harold R Johnson

I got ART at todays cappuccino tourism stop! First time. This cup stole the top spot, too, with that perfect sourness.

Also excellent? This book. Johnson gives the reader so much to consider, to interrogate, and to internalize. It‘s going on my auto-recs list.

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xicanti

Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era | Harold R Johnson

I met my parents at the new conservatory for lunch, then trundled around the outdoor gardens by myself and finally settled in the only shady spot to read a bit. THE POWER OF STORY opens with thoughts on the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. I‘d be into the topic at any time, but it‘s especially juicy right now as I just finished drafting a short novel where the protagonist grapples with that exact thing.

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Lindy

Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era | Harold R Johnson

The evidence shows that incarceration, the most common form of criminal punishment, does not deter criminality. Incarceration increases the likelihood that an offender will reoffend. Jails don‘t fix criminals. Jails make criminals. And so the justice system is self-perpetuating. It is in the business of creating criminals. The persistent story, however, is that the justice system protects people from criminals.

Nebklvr The question then becomes: how do you maintain civilization? If jail doesn‘t work, hopes and prayers don‘t work, and we don‘t want to just kill people? 1y

Lindy @Nebklvr Addressing issues that underlie crime—drug addiction, mental illness, social and economic inequities—would go a long way. Meanwhile, nonviolent crimes could be punished with restitution, community service or probation. 1y

Lynnsoprano Interesting. After hubby retired, he volunteered for a while with the state attorney‘s office, and did some research for them on juvenile justice. It showed that direct file, where juveniles are sent directly into the adult justice system, had higher recidivism rates than other interventions. But he said it was obvious when he finished that wasn‘t what the prosecutors wanted to hear. 1y

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Lindy @Lynnsoprano Thanks for weighing in on this. The author gave up lawyering when he couldn‘t stand continuing to be a part of the criminal justice system. 1y

Nebklvr @Lindy I agree with all of those things. Preferably through Crisis mental health professionals but that doesn‘t cover all of the people in jail. 1y

Lindy @Nebklvr I‘m not saying it‘s an easy thing. Our society is unjust: far too many people are living in poverty, with all the issues that entails, and therefore using funds to improve social conditions will save on future prison costs. But more than looking at it as cost benefit analysis, think about living in a world where everyone has the opportunity to contribute their best, with no need to turn to drugs to relieve pain & hopelessness. 1y

Nebklvr @Lindy I think we agree on the folks who are in desperate situations and have addiction and mental health issues. I also would rather see them in programs to make their lives better than punish them for diseases over which they have no control. However, there will always be people who don‘t fall into those categories and who are not safe to live amongst the general population. I think they are few but I think you still have to consider them. 1y

Lindy @Nebklvr Yes, very likely there are a few who must be kept away from the general population. I‘m not contesting that. 1y

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Lindy

Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era | Harold R Johnson

If you can imagine God, science and the universe as story without diminishing them, then we‘ve laid the groundwork for other concepts.

(Internet photo of Carina nebula)

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Lindy

Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era | Harold R Johnson

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a beautiful story. It should win the Governor General‘s Award for fiction. It‘s okay. The Charter, despite its fictional nature, is the best we can do right now. When we organize our society we can use stories about rights.

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Lindy

Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era | Harold R Johnson

Friday Reads Nov 18
#skodenreadthon #Indigenousbooks #nonfictionnovember
GG winners; Louis Riel; art gallery trip; printing with carrots… a bit of everything in my latest booktube video:

https://youtu.be/9uxfYeYImD8

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