Where does this whole Corona Virus pandemic lead us?
Is there a way to predict where this is going?
First of all, some disclaimers.
Humans are bad at predicting the future.
We were sure Brexit wouldn’t pass, and Hillary would be president. There were even a few people telling us the Corona Virus wouldn’t become a pandemic.
Yet here we are.
You cannot predict the future
Even though humans cannot predict the future, that doesn’t stop us from trying again and again. Humans are the personification of the Samuel Beckett quote “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
Humans have a habit of failing upwards. We make big mistakes and have little victories.
Where am I going with this I hear you thinking on the other side of the screen.
Hold on a minute, I’m getting to it. I’m setting the table for you. Dinner is almost served.
You know what let’s just get to it. The suspense is killing you, you might not want to admit it, but I know that’s what you’re thinking.
This is all a long way for me to say that no one can predict the future. It doesn’t stop us from giving it a go, and I too am joining in with the rest of us and going to make my own predictions.
Now that part is out of the way lets get into the woo woo part of this. I understand if you get to it and think what a loon and click out. That’s OK, I understand.
You can click out now.
Are the rest of them gone?
OK, let’s get into it.
Corona Virus and the Simplified Story System
You can read my Simplified Story System here. (By the way, I’m thinking of giving it a name change to the Kieran Majury Story System, what do you think? Leave a comment below or send an email to kieran@kieranmajury.com.)
In case you don’t want to read it, let me break it down for you.
My story system is as follows:
1: Introductions
2: Things go well
3: Realisation
4: Choice
5: Aftermath
Now, if you want more detail on each part, read the blog post. I’m working on a more in-depth ebook. It was supposed to come out in April. I decided to write a free new novella to go along with the guide. It was to show how when you implement the steps, you can create a story that keeps people hooked and wanting more.
Versatility of the Simplified Story System
Now, spoiler alert, the big idea in the ebook is that you can take this framework and apply it to anything.
Some of you already know where I’m going with this.
The thing that makes the Kieran Majury Story System (whoops like the name changed) so appealing. It’s so versatile. I have used it to write blog posts, songs, stand up comedy. You name it, I can use it.
The Kieran Majury Story System can be used for scene construction and character arcs.
Here’s the other thing. Now I’m not the first person to come up with this. No, I’m very much a Tyrion Lannister on the shoulder of Andre, the Giant.
Your life in 5 Segments
A good story is like a life well-lived.
In our early years, we are introduced to the way of things. This is how you behave, here are the essential people in your life etc.
In our twenties and thirties, things go well, we hit our stride. You know your way around and start exerting your power and control.
You hit your forties and fifties it tends to be the time you come to more profound realisations about yourself. If you’ve been chasing money, you understand it’s not the bee all and end-all. To put it plainly, we figure out that what we want is not what we need. We call it a midlife crisis. I don’t like that expression, I prefer my own terminology, but if you’re going to call it a crisis that’s cool.
Then you get into the sixties and seventies, and that’s when you make a choice.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
Look at the likes of Bill Gates, he is upping his philanthropic game in trying to make the world a better place. If you want an example of someone who made the regressive choice look at William Randolph Hearst. He built a vast media empire. Hearst could have made a choice to give back but no. Instead, he spent the remainder of his life in bitterness. Trying to take down a young Orson Welles who loosely based Citizen Kane on his life. To quote the old knight from the Last Crusade, he chose poorly.
After that you’re into your twilight years. If you live a good life I hope you get to reap the benefits.
Corona Virus and the Simplified Story System
Now, this is where I go super woo woo. If you want to stop reading, then go ahead. You have probably already guessed where I am going with this.
It feels like we can graft the Kieran Majury Story System onto the Corona virus. As in what we are likely to expect.
Bear in mind, I don’t know the future and more than likely to be wrong. After all, I am (was) but a humble popcorn shoveller m’ lord.
Let’s remind ourselves of the structure in case you forgot.
1: Introductions
2: Things go well
3: Realisation
4: Choice
5: Aftermath
Where are we now?
Now, where does it feel like you are? It feels like we have had the introductions. The plague originates in China, spreads quickly. Like the most hackneyed of filmmaking, a carrier may be identified by a cough. There’s also elements of The Thing mixed in there too, i.e. someone who has it might not know they have it.
Call to adventure
In a story, there is a moment known as the call to adventure. In most stories, the hero has to say no at first. They refuse the call. A great example is in Star Wars: A New Hope. Obi-Wan tells Luke that he must come with him to Alderaan. Luke says no, returns home to find his aunt and uncle dead. Luke realises that he cannot return home and he decides to go to with Obi-Wan. The call to adventure followed by the refusal of call is a sign that you’re entering into the second act.
We had our call to adventure. “Please stay in your homes,” governments advised. We refused the call when we saw people out partying and acting like everything is normal. Like Luke Skywalker found out, there is no returning to the ordinary world. The governments of the world announced strict lockdowns.
At the start of the second act
It feels like we are at the beginning of the second act. Things are going well for us. We are getting settled into the magic world of the second act. In this case, we are housebound, and we must be sure to keep our distance from each other. It might feel mundane, but we are pack animals, and we will feel the pain of separation soon enough. It has been my firm belief that we don’t like pubs, clubs, cafes, restaurants, the cinema or concerts. We just like an excuse to be close to one another.
Now for the bad news
Now the bad news, we are approaching our realisation point. The realisation point is when we come to some more in-depth understanding of ourselves. I don’t know how to put this but it will not be pretty. In most stories and myths it usually involves a descent of some form.
In the Odyssey, the hero, Odysseus descends into the underworld. Empire Strikes Back Luke goes into the cave and finds his own face in Vader’s helmet. In the moment of realisation, we will understand the more profound need the Corona Virus has in store. At the moment we want the Corona Virus to be over and done with.
What is it we need to understand?
I’m not sure, in the coming weeks, we will know.
Low point
After the realisation, we have a low point. The low point is usually signalled by the death of a mentor. Obi-wan dies right before this point. I’m not saying that the low point will be that obvious (as I am rewriting this it feels it may be more obvious).
The one advantage reality has over fiction is the audience has no choice but to accept what it’s told. Even the laziest of plot devices.
There is a chance that the Gandalf/Obi-Wan might take the shape of the economy being brought to the brink.
It might be the realisation that while we may not be at war with China they have been at war with us.
The most hopeful realisation is that while the virus is legit our reaction has been way over the top. I’d like this to be the one but life is never that easy.
Again I’m not 100% but be alert for it, as the Good Book says “stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come”.
The coming choice
After our low point, we then will be into the choice section of the story.
What form will the choice take?
The vital aspect to keep in mind is that it is a choice between two bad options.
It can’t be between a good and a bad, that’s not a choice.
It has to be between two bad options, that’s how you know it’s a choice.
In that case, I think the choice is that we stay locked down indefinitely, go insane and wreck the economy. The other option is we do a phased return and risk flare-ups.
These are two bad options that will result in people dying before their time.
Conclusion
It may seem grim and depressing but understand that we will all do our part to mitigate the loss of life.
No one is guaranteed life let alone a long one. You don’t get a certificate to say how long you’ll live for. There’s no manager to speak to about this.
Our victory over this, like the best endings, will be bittersweet. We come home to find that home has not changed but it is we who have changed.
We will persevere.
While there will be losses, we will come out of this stronger, more appreciative of one another.
Reality will leave the door open for a sequel so be ready for that.
We will be ready by then.
Stay safe, stay healthy, don’t lose hope.
Have a great day.
Kieran.
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Thank you and have a great day,
Kieran
