‘SECRET’: ‘Nothing sells without conflict’
There’s a secret that mainstream media knows very well. And you should know it also. It was established in literature going back as far as the Greek story-teller Homer. Twenty-five hundred years later, this “secret” is perpetuated/employed by all successful authors and publishers of plays, movies, newspapers, assorted internet bloggers, and television “news” productions. The “secret” can be summed up in one word: “conflict.” Without it, many wouldn’t give a story more than a couple of pages or 30 seconds of their time.
Typically, the conflict requires a protagonist and an antagonist. In sports, it might be “my team” against “your team.” Which has the best quarterback? Did a star baseball pitcher do terrible things to a female groupie or was it a hoax that may have ended a promising career? In politics, was a candidate “guilty” of an alleged department store dressing room attack on a woman 25 years ago? Or did a former president leave his DNA on the blue dress of a young intern? Who’s the most patriotic? The most “dangerous?”
Become a Subscriber!
You have read all of your free articles this month. Select a plan below to start your subscription today.
Already a subscriber? Login
