Author Archives: pcostello

CAN WE HAVE BETTER LIARS PLEASE? THIS IS EMBARASSING

Heard on 90.9 NPR News this morning from USA Government sources-“we are unequivocally committed to diplomacy” ???? That sounds funny given that ‘diplomacy and unequivocal’ are hardly in the same register, unless you can be certain you are unsure, and … Continue reading

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UN Security Council Grammar Police on Ceasefire in Gaza

Security Council Fails to Adopt Resolution on Imperative of Immediate, Sustained Ceasefire in Gaza, Owing to Vetoes Cast by China, Russian Federation United States-Sponsored Text Draws Criticism for Being Ambiguous, Lacking Attribution to Israeli Authorities’ Responsibility in Key Areas The … Continue reading

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An Appeal for Gaza

  My Dear Friends, A belated Happy Paddy’s Day. It is always a day of happy remembrance, thinking of you over the many years of working for peace, first in Ireland, the land of my ancestors, and later in the … Continue reading

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Israel V Hamas or Violence Versus Justice

The viciousness of it all caught everyone off guard, even Gazans I know. Now that this brutality is being returned in spades by Israel, it does not catch anyone off guard, especially Gazans. For them, brutality is what they have … Continue reading

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Time for a Narrative Criticality- Take Back the Story

A HAPPY REUNION A few weeks back, Golden Fleece had a reunion. What is Golden Fleece, I hear you say? It was the name a group of  30 DC organizational storytellers called themselves back in 2002-3.  The name, inspired by the … Continue reading

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How come Story came to rule over the Kingdom of Lies?

          “Satan- he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jesus)  20 years ago, trying to convince organizations to use story as a powerful means of communication and change was like Sisyphus rolling the stone … Continue reading

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The Principles of Narrative Ethics

The ethical principles of narrative work include ·       Everyone has a story ·        Every story is worth telling ·        Every story makes sense in its context ·        No one has the full story ·        We hold the narrative rights to tell our own story over … Continue reading

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The reason why we might be so depressed as a nation

Wellbeing and Wellness are never more important to all of us these days. We make ourselves aware of the toxic dangers that lurk in obvious places, like lead in paint or asbestos in cladding or the quality of the air … Continue reading

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The Evil Empire of Story

  You might have thought we learned our lessons from President Bush”s non-existent WMDs- (Weapons of Mass Destruction)  It only cost us a war.  Or from Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme. It cost people 50 billion plus. We might have treated … Continue reading

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Three Things I know about Stories Plus One

Three things I know about Stories. 1.Stories matter! They create power, incite insurrections, cause trauma, offer healing, feed despair, nourish hope. I am a warrior in the war of stories, mapping their lethal power so as to disarm and expose … Continue reading

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