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(#5) Elise’s Top Ten: The new political story that could change everything | George Monbiot

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Sep 20, 2025
Journalist and environmental commentator George Monbiot presents a compelling new political narrative rooted in altruism and cooperation. He critiques neoliberalism's failures, emphasizing that persuasive stories, rather than facts, influence politics. Monbiot discusses how our innate capacity for cooperation can lead to a commons-based economy and advocates for inclusive communities that foster a sense of belonging. This optimistic vision challenges listeners to rethink the structures shaping our shared future.
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INSIGHT

Stories Shape Political Reality

  • Stories shape how people interpret facts and decide what to do next.
  • A persuasive narrative displaces data because humans seek narrative fidelity over raw evidence.
INSIGHT

The Restoration Plot Explains Shifts

  • Political change depends on transferable narrative structures like the restoration story.
  • Opposing ideologies can share identical plot structures and thus attain wide appeal.
ANECDOTE

Keynes Created A New Political Story

  • John Maynard Keynes crafted a new economics after the Great Depression using a restoration narrative.
  • His story positioned the enabling state as hero to redistribute wealth and restore stability.
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