“Joe captivated the audience as he spoke about the importance of story and its changing role in our lives. He set the perfect tone for the entire day with his expertly crafted hour-long presentation. In addition to being a talented speaker with a stimulating message that challenges listeners to “think outside the box” and stretch their vision of stories, Joe was a pleasure to work with.”
Nancy Schultz, Training and Staff Development Specialist, Timberland Regional Library
“Slaying the Gorgon was a powerful and innovative look at how viewers, especially children, regard images and how teachers and librarians can help support students in an electronic, digital, super-speed age. I heard from many members that his presentation was the “best I have ever seen at a conference.”
Sarah Applegate, Washington Library Association, President
Since earliest times people have used stories to entertain, inform, and pass on cultural values. They have also used stories to persuade. In today’s fast-paced world corporations use stories to sell products and gain competitive advantages. Political parties use stories to elect candidates and garner support for controversial policies. Educators, military commanders, social activists, environmentalists, religious leaders, and a host of others use stories to promote their views and agendas.
Slaying the Gorgon is a fascinating and provocative multimedia presentation by storyteller, writer, and public radio producer Joe McHugh that looks at how stories are told in today’s world given the dynamic and transforming influence of new technologies. From the venerated saints and cathedrals of the Middle Ages to the pop stars and cineplexes of today, he explains why images and sound are increasingly supplanting the authority of the printed word, and by so doing, radically altering the cultural, economic, and political landscape of the United States and the rest of the world.
Who are today’s storytellers and what techniques do they use to inform and persuade? What role does emotion play in persuasion and how do people cope with information overload? And how can organizations use stories to motivate staff and members and build community support? These are the questions Mr. McHugh helps answer through a combination of plain language, intriguing images, recorded stories, and humor. He also shares examples of creative strategies used by a variety of organizations to tell their own stories more effectively.