Los Angeles Members’ Reception and Discussion: Narratives of the Economy

Recently, scholars and journalists have observed the curious phenomenon that, despite good news from economic indicators like GDP, polls find that Americans are simply not happy about the state of the economy. While material conditions do shape people’s opinions, so do narratives – stories and themes, often originating among lawmakers and the media. Yet the role of storytelling has been overlooked in explaining the disconnect at the heart of the current economic and political moment.

Over the last two years, the Academy’s Commission on Reimagining Our Economy held 31 listening sessions across the country. The conversations that emerged help explain the role that economic narratives play in shaping people’s opinions about their finances, their lives, and their nation. The Academy convened a conversation to explore how those narratives can be rewritten to create a political and economic system that works for all.