Rumors: A Narrative Analysis

I’m not a fan of Ghostbusters or Star Wars. I don’t enjoy their movies. Did you feel your blood and mind automatically react to the opinion without thinking? Did I trigger your defense mechanisms to defend these movies and block out your other mental processes from the raw emotion I brought out of you from this statement? Using these emotional trips is the first step in getting your attention to a story or rumor. It is a commonly used practice in advertising and politics. Rumors carry numerous amount of ways to interpret them. Even our textbook has countless options of speculation. Some speculate that it is a drive to find information according to Jesse Signal’s “How to Fight a Rumor.” Some theorize that it comes from building up unrelated

In Jesse Singal’s “How to Fight A Rumor,” He brings up an excellent point with this passage, “We’re particularly likely to spread negative rumors about “high-status” individuals, whether they’re our bosses, professors, or celebrities.” The Dunning-Kruger effect explains why our ‘above average’ mentality will convince us to how the higher ups should exemplify their jobs or lives. I’m sure President Trump inspired opinions about how to address events differently. However, this is taken in another direction. Rather than it being interpreted compared to the previous examples, it governs itself on fear and anxiety according to Daniel Goleman’s “Anatomy of A Rumor: It Flies on Fear.” Dr. Ralph Rosnow on this article expands on this in saying, “A rumor is a kind of hypothesis, a speculation that helps people construct sense of a chaotic reality or gives them a small sense of control in a threatening world.” In light of this a rumor starts to become clear. For example, if a boss or coworker in a workplace starts to generate situations difficult for you, you need to talk about the possibilities with your family and friends to confront them. From this a sense of security is developed from getting additional opinions and sharing your feelings. In comparison, rumors act in the same light. We need to structure these uncertain feelings so that we can gain a grasp on what is happening with our surroundings. It’s a natural human defense