By Limor Shiponi
I’ve received this question by mail. Answer:
I’m not the Joan of Arc of Storytelling, that’s not what I stand for – purist storytelling. In addition, I’ll never agree or want to know I’ve become a martyr – it contradicts my faith and my personal preferences. Glorifying life is way more crucial, to my opinion.
What do I stand for? for what photographer Jimmy Nelson labeled “their absolute proudest” referring to the tribes he photographed, before they inevitably disappear under the wheels of modernity. We deserve to be at our absolute proudest, we are amazing creatures.
As writing this, I too can hear the little virtuous voice in my head sounding “pride is not a good virtue”. I don’t believe that to be true. I think our humanity, beauty, feelings, thoughts, truthfulness – are trampled all the time, almost everywhere. We’ve lost our dignity; we are not in our proudest. We lie constantly, mainly to ourselves. We are losing the ability to handle real life. We’re designing it all the time and telling ourselves it’s life – it’s not.
—
From everything I’ve been involved in, storytelling is the activity that is the best at reminding us of our dignity.
(Not the things people today call storytelling like – marketing, trans-media, social media, content marketing, photography, visuals, info-graphics, UX, design, science-talk, data analysis, training, coaching, lecturing, presenting, gaming, screenplay writing, authoring, storyboarding, advertising, re-labeling storytelling, calling it names without knowing what it is, and speaking on TED.)
– a face to face situation, that “I can smell your breath” kind of an event. Only that. The more I can contribute to storytelling and helping young and not so young storytellers remember and keep their pride – that’s what I want to do. Through us, humanity remembers it’s soul, it’s absolute proudest. Professionally, I stand for having more of us.
Thank you – the person who asked the question. I’ve finally found my “artist statement”.
This is one of the most astute, yet beautiful and delicate statement I have read in recent past, may be slightly distant past. I am sure you must be a terrific storey teller. 🙂
Thank you. Aiming at doing my possible best and helping others do theirs.
Good answer – such a fine line between justifiable pride (not coming before a fall) and vainglory. Lots of the latter about these days, seems to be the custom of the country/internet/world, sadly.
But, seriously good answer.
😀
Thanks, Allan.