Story Blocks: A Casestudy exploring Blockchain & Transmedia StoryTelling

I recently came across a cases study that reminded me of how awesome the internet can be in sharing ideas. As if written for me to discovery at that exact juncture in time when a mix of different interests caught my attention and I had the bandwidth to explore and indulge in reading.

Blockchain + Transmedia + Storytelling

If those topics interest you then check out the article linked above. Here it is again so you don't forget: Story Blocks: Reimagining narrative through the blockchainBIG HAT TIP to authors: Deborah Maxwell, Chris Speed, and Larissa Pschetz

In their article posted in January 2017, these intrepid minds ask a simple question: Can we imagine stories as a currency or value system?

I find this to be a fascinating question. As a storyteller, technologist and educator, the Story Blocks article is a feast of ideas. Without making this a gushing book report I'll try and summarize the stuff I found most engaging.

Pettitt's Gutenberg Parenthesis

The authors of Story Blocks did an amazing job breaking down the structure of blockchain and how it relates to narratives. They frame their article around the evolution of communication through oral, written, and digital mediums. The core of the article is the description of a series of writing exercises with three different focus groups modeling behavior according to the academic model known as Pettitt's Gutenberg Parenthesis (as seen in the header). Get your daily British accent fix with this video of the scholar himself pontificating on the implications of his model on concepts of truth, "urban legends," and the chaos of modern communications:

Blockchain Deconstructed

One of the things I loved about this article was how it crystalized my understanding of blockchain as a platform and concept. Though you could never tell from my posts, I do love pithiness. I mean, just saying the word pithy is fun. Anyway, the authors of Story Blocks break it down like this–A blockchain application always includes this triad of components:

1. the Ledger
2. the Blocks
3. the Mining Process
   
   These three elements of blockchain make it transparent and decentralized. They shape the ethos of applications that are built on blockchain. In the case of the Story Blocks article, these three components were mapped to the aforementioned modes of communication to lead a series of workshops with various cohorts. As an educator, I found this aspect of the article fascinating.

Blockchain Narratives: Choose your own adventure on juice

"We propose that blockchain technologies can become a new framework not only for the production (distribution and financing) of stories but also their creation. The implications of such a technology and its disruption in other sectors from finance, retail, and identity management has encouraged us to consider that if stories can be envisaged as currency, that is, holding a fluctuating value within a social system, how might they change both creation and consumption behaviors?"

–Story Blocks: Reimagining narrative through the blockchain
by Deborah Maxwell, Chris Speed, Larissa Pschetz

Here's an answer to declining TV ratings and empty movie theaters. And I'm not the only one who's hip to this idea ... self proclaimed world builder, Clay Space, is making his own cryptocurrency transmedia narrative.

We stand on the threshold of new forms of storytelling.

Research through Design (RtD)

RtD focuses on knowledge gained through the practice of design where its practitioners recognize making as “a route to discovery.” Coined by British academic, Sir Christopher Frayling you can think of RtD is a corollary to design thinking. Sadly, I can't embed any vimeo clips of him riffing, because he is quite riveting, but check him out if you have the time and you are interested in design semiotics. RtD Conference is next year in Rotterdam.

So circling back to the original question,
Can we imagine stories as a currency or value system?
In an effort to be pithy, the answer is yes.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the topic in the comments.

^{100% of the SBD rewards from this #explore1918 post will support the Philadelphia History Initiative @phillyhistory. This crypto-experiment conducted by graduate courses at Temple University's Center for Public History and MLA Program, is exploring history and empowering education. Click here to learn more.}