{"version":"1.0","type":"card","id":"efea5f0f-f4a5-46a1-a163-70a1383b76da","url":"https://stacklist.com/card/efea5f0f-f4a5-46a1-a163-70a1383b76da","title":"Story telling is about causation ","source_url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOgC-ZjiEF3/?igsh=bXk5MjNqa2FrOGN5","note":"2,021 likes, 10 comments - robdwillis on September 12, 2025: \"This is the most powerful communication trick that the creators of South Park figured out.\n\n“But we can take these beats, which are basically the beats of your outline, and if the words ‘and then’ belong between those beats, you’ve basically got something pretty boring. What should happen between every beat that you’ve written down is either the word ‘therefore’ or ‘but.’”\n\nIn storytelling, they’re called beats. But in presentations, these are just your points - the insights you’re making along the way.\n\nMost people connect their points with “and then.” That creates a shopping list.\n\nWhen you use “therefore” and “but,” you show causation and conflict.\n\nHere’s the difference:\n\nBORING VERSION:\n“We launched the product and then got feedback and then made changes.”\n\nENGAGING VERSION:\n“We launched the product, BUT the feedback was brutal. THEREFORE we redesigned it. BUT that delay meant we missed the holiday season. THEREFORE we found a new market.”\n\nSame points, but just totally different energy.\n\nWhy this works:\n- “And then” creates a boring sequence of events\n- “But” introduces conflict and tension\n- “Therefore” shows causation and consequence\n\nStorytelling is not about what happened when - it’s about causation and conflict.\n\nThis simple word choice transforms dry information into compelling narrative.\n\nSouth Park gets it. You should too.\n\nWhat’s the most boring presentation you’ve ever sat through? How could “but” and “therefore” have made it better?\n\n#southpark #storytelling #presentations #communication #narrative\". ","image":{"url":"https://ucarecdn.com/953d2669-9aa9-4db7-83cb-ee6f5063c5cf/","alt":"Story telling is about causation ","width":1200,"height":630},"stack":{"id":"153f80e5-2150-44e4-96e9-c4a0b6019bee","title":"URGENT","url":"https://stacklist.com/stack/153f80e5-2150-44e4-96e9-c4a0b6019bee"},"created_at":"2025-09-20T21:40:22.017Z","updated_at":null,"aco":null,"_links":{"self":"/api/public/card/efea5f0f-f4a5-46a1-a163-70a1383b76da.json","html":"https://stacklist.com/card/efea5f0f-f4a5-46a1-a163-70a1383b76da","md":"/api/public/card/efea5f0f-f4a5-46a1-a163-70a1383b76da.md","stack_json":"/api/public/stack/153f80e5-2150-44e4-96e9-c4a0b6019bee.json"}}