If you can write a nation's stories, you needn't worry about who makes its _x000D_ laws. Today, television tells most of the stories to most of the people _x000D_ most of the time.
George GerbnerRead
You know, who tells the stories of a culture really governs human behavior. It used to be the parent, the school, the church, the community. Now it's a handful of global conglomerates that have nothing to tell, but a great deal to sell.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The influence of story-telling in shaping human behavior has shifted from traditional sources to corporations.
George Gerbner's quote highlights the importance of storytelling in culture and how it profoundly influences human behavior. He suggests that in the past, stories were primarily shared by parents, schools, churches, and communities, which built cultural values and norms. However, in the modern world, this narrative power has shifted to a few global corporations that prioritize selling products over imparting meaningful stories, leading to a change in societal values and behaviors.
Themes
StorytellingCultureBehaviorInfluenceSocietyCorporations
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on the impact of media on culture, this quote could be used to illustrate changing narratives.
More from George Gerbner
All quotes →Similar quotes
This woman is beautiful and clever: but how much cleverer she would have become if she were not beautiful!
Friedrich NietzscheRead
Long before the awakening of thought on earth, manifestations of cosmic energy must have been produced which have no parallel today.
Pierre Teilhard De ChardinRead
Who? Who is but the form following the function of what, and what I am is a man in a mask.
Alan MooreRead
I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. Scout
Harper LeeRead
Truth quenches untruth, love quenches anger, self-suffering quenches violence. This eternal rule is a rule not for saints only but for all.
Mahatma GandhiRead
Be careful not to turn others' lives into the mold for your own...we have a # God who is a # Creator not a # Duplicator .
Francis ChanRead