Narrative Chain & Prerequisite Knowledge

Concepts.md

@@ -25,3 +25,76 @@ For example: a working solution to a known open problem has a natural "pull". Yo
 1. the information does NOT exist, OR 
 2. there is a blockage/epistemic noise/censorship in the environment 
 
+----
+
+**Emotional Signature** - An Emotional Signature is the unique, measurable pattern of user engagement that a piece of content generates. The algorithm reads these signatures as a proxy for specific emotional reactions, using them to identify a content's Narrative Position.
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>Examples of Emotional Signatures</b></summary>
+[requires examples]
+</details>
+
+----
+
+**Narrative Position** - A Narrative Position is the specific functional role that a discrete unit of media (a video, tweet, image, etc.) plays within an emergent, algorithmically-generated narrative. The virality of a piece of content is often a direct measure of how effectively it fills one of these universal positions & the variety of algorithmically-generated stories it can be placed into.
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>Core Idea</b></summary>
+Instead of analyzing content based on its topic, this framework analyzes it based on its *job* in a larger narrative. The algorithm recognizes content that performs a specific narrative job well (by tracking engagement patterns) and slots it into sequences with other content that performs complementary jobs.
+</details>
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>Primary Narrative Positions</b></summary>
+[requires examples]
+</details>
+
+----
+
+**Narrative Persona** - A Narrative Persona is a consistent, recognizable character or archetype that a creator adopts to reliably produce content that has a specific emotional signature.
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>More details</b></summary>
+Algorithms "cast" individual content to perform in a narrative chain. Creators making content may be entirely unaware of what position and role their content plays in narrative chains. Consistency in content from a creator makes them a reliable "casting choice" for the algorithm's narrative chains. Individual creators making content may never garner a large following while still playing a major role in many narrative chains. 
+</details>
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>Examples of Common Narrative Personas</b></summary>
+[requires examples]
+</details>
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>hypothesis</b></summary>
+If a creator's content are consistently at the end of a narrative chain they are more likely to garner followers.
+</details>
+
+----
+
+**Narrative Chain** - an emergent narrative created when a platform's algorithm dynamically sequences multiple units of media, each filling a distinct narrative position. When consumed by a user, this sequence produces a coherent emotional or intellectual journey with a recognizable beginning, middle, and end.
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>Key Characteristics</b></summary>
+Emergent, Not Authored: A narrative chain is an unintentional collaboration between multiple creators, the algorithm, and the user. Its meaning arises from the juxtaposition of content, not the intent of any single creator.
+
+Structurally Composed: A narrative chain is built by linking together content that occupies different Narrative Positions. A common structure is a three-link chain of Premise -> Complication -> Revelation.
+
+Emotionally Optimized: The algorithm assembles the chain based on which emotional trajectories are most effective at holding user attention.
+
+Personalized and Ephemeral: While the underlying templates are common, the specific chain a user sees is (potentially entirely) unique to them and their interaction history.
+</details>
+
+<details>
+<summary><b>Example: The "Good Man vs. Monster" Chain</b></summary>
+This is a deconstruction of a real three-video Instagram Reel sequence, showing how a narrative Chain is built from content filling three different Narrative Positions:
+
+Link 1: The Premise
+Content: A man expresses deep sadness that he may never be a husband or father.
+Narrative Position: This establishes the core problem: Why are "good men" lonely? It hooks the viewer with a sympathetic emotion.
+
+Link 2: The Complication
+Content: A woman advises other women to be "soft" to have power over men.
+Narrative Position: This offers a flawed, gender-essentialist solution to the Premise, adding a layer of strategic manipulation to the male-female dynamic.
+
+Link 3: The Revelation
+Content: A man reads from a book stating women don't want a good man, but a "monster" they can tame.
+Narrative Position: This is the cynical twist. It reframes the entire narrative, causes the "good man" from Link 1 to appear entirely undesirable, and revealing the specific form of power women want over men which mean the "good" man's fears are wholy justified. This inclines the user to desire to be unlike the "good man".
+</details>