"You are not a storyteller"

I was not surprised that?someone?would eventually call the idea that everyone is a “storyteller” bullsh*t…and that someone was Stefan Sagmeister of design firm?Sagmeister?& Walsh.?He made his comments?at the CAMP Festival in Calgary, where the theme was storytelling.

Some key quotes…

“Well I’m actually quite critical of the storytelling theme. I think all the storytellers are not storytellers.

Recently I read an interview with someone who designs roller coasters and he referred to himself as a ‘storyteller.’ No fuckhead, you are not a storyteller, you’re a roller coaster designer!” And that’s fantastic and more power to you, but why would you want to be a storyteller if you design roller coasters or if the story you are telling is bullshit? … That’s a fucking bullshit story—it’s boring!

People who actually tell stories, meaning people who write novels and make feature films don’t see themselves as storytellers. It’s all the people who are not storytellers, who kind of for strange reasons because it’s in the air suddenly now want to be storytellers.

There is this fallacy out there. I don’t think I fell for it, but somehow maybe unconsciously I did, you know?I’ve seen a number of films so I must be able to do one.?Of course this is the most stupidest thought ever. It’s like,?Oh, I watched the philharmonic. That’s why I’m a virtuoso violin player.?You know, well, I’m not, even though I’ve watched a lot of philharmonic concerts.

I think by now, in our space, meaning the space of design, it sort of took on the mantle of bullshit… now everyone’s a storyteller.”