The future belongs to those who tell human stories

There is a famous quote attributed to Plato that “Those who tell stories rule society”, but in the Age of the Algorithm, the wisest storytellers are no longer the rulers; in fact, they’re no longer human.  

The internet is dying, we’re no longer surfing, we're trapped in its web. Many of us have experienced the doomscroll of global crises, newsfeeds that isolate us in echo chambers, charismatic strangers selling us billionaire lifestyles or the ‘next greatest lifehack’, all sandwiched between repetitive ads for stuff we really don’t give a damn about. It’s a constant war for our attention, and the ‘tech bros’ are winning. Most internet traffic now comes from non-human sources aka “bots”, which means that human-to-human interaction is declining. With the arrival of generative AI, which can mass produce text, photos and videos at light speed, it seems like we’re facing a losing battle.

Experts now have a new name for this phenomenon: “Enshittfication”. 

Is this the online future we want? We need to reclaim our media space from the bots, using real human stories told by real humans - tales of hope, social change and the ‘art of the possible’. As democratic institutions we took for granted also start to crack, it’s more important than ever to hear from people who reject the tech bro oligarchy and the forces of extractive capitalism, globalisation, and individualism. 

Are you an ethical brand, a B Corp, charity, educator or founder with a bloody good “why”? Then you need to make your voice heard. 

At DragonLight Films, we strive to make truthful, inspiring films that champion the changemakers, people driving meaningful action toward a more environmentally, socially, or economically sustainable future. People who focus on doing what’s right - not just what’s most profitable or popular.

However, we understand that being seen, heard, and noticed is increasingly difficult in what seems like an “AI-induced” race to the bottom. 

What is the antidote? It’s well-crafted, honest, and thoughtful content told from a human perspective about the change and value people are creating in the world.

Here's some points to make your videos feel more human:

• Share your lived experience - What did you see, hear and feel? Present stories that feel lived-in, with imperfections, quirks and texture left intact.

• Use personality as your fingerprint - AI tends to be blandly neutral or overconfidently smooth. You are a wonderful human, with a mix of traits, style, values, thoughts and feelings. Embrace them, don't hide them.

• Make it about Connection - Make content for one kind of person, not everyone. Talk to them directly as if they’re in the room.

• Embrace curiosity, not KPIs - Don't create content for the sake of it. Create, because it scratches an itch that won't go away. Authenticity is magnetic, and builds trust.

• Connect the dots to the bigger idea - Great stories reflect something larger about our world. This could be a societal issue you really care about, why you have skin in the game, or how you want to make change. 

Right now, the bots are winning the battle but they don’t have to win the war. It’s time to take storytelling back. Not faster. Not louder. Just more human.