We are in a moment when there are unprecedented opportunities for collective meaning-making. Social norms are feeling increasingly up for grabs. Rather than sparking imagination for what could be, these seismic shifts are making most of us want to crawl into the fetal position. Many are hungry for clarity and direction about what matters most. This is not only a HUGE opportunity but a great need that communicators can meet.
At Spitfire, we’re defining meaning-making as a “human process where one interprets what is happening to create a coherent understanding,” or in other words, helping people make sense of the world around them. Putting a name to something people are experiencing helps add clarity and focus, such as “enshittification,” “doom scrolling,” or “quiet quitting.”
Key takeaways from the webinar included:
- If we don’t engage in meaning-making efforts, other people will do it for us.
- As trust in institutions dwindles, we must also change who we partner with to make meaning for our audiences about the issues we care about. Meaning-making is a team sport.
- Effective meaning-making should:
- Offer clarity in times of chaos.
- Focus on the future while answering pressing questions.
- Establish a new social consensus or conventional wisdom about key issues.
You can view the full recording of the webinar here:
We look forward to continuing to learn and explore ways to do effective meaning-making with all of you, including at ComNet 26 in San Diego this September. In the meantime, please read more about meaning-making on Spitfire’s blog.