Let me introduce "PART 2, THE BENEFIT AND DISADVANTAGE OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS", a narrative design article written by Katarina Gyllenbäck.
Katarina Gyllenbäck is a researcher, educator, and writer in the field of narrative design. Her areas of expertise include storytelling, drama & theatre, and interactive media such as games. She is also known for her unique method of narrative construction called "Narrative Bridging".
"PART 2, THE BENEFIT AND DISADVANTAGE OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS" is one of her early blog articles which explains the role of the unconscious in the recognition of a goal in a narrative, as well as how a person's "fear of the unknown" becomes an implicit motive behind one's willingness to learn by means of exploration.
When we are talking about a goal which is already meaningful to us, we often overlook the fact that other people do not necessarily share the same goal. This is because one's unconscious mind tends to process familiar pieces of information automatically behind the scene, without informing the conscious mind.
Related quote from the article: (...) the cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner says the reason why we find it hard to achieve consciousness about how we interpret (evaluate) information and create meaning is that we are “too expert” and we cannot see what we so easily do automatically. Bruner calls the condition the “unconsciousness of the automatic” (Bruner, 1996).
Therefore, aiming for humanity's common goal is oftentimes a fast and easy solution to resolve the problem of dissonance. This will effectively "sync up" our unconscious minds, letting us understand each other deeply (not just superficially).
Related quote from the article: So if one truly likes to engage people in a meaningful experience, the desired goal has to make sense to all.
A narrative, on the other hand, usually involves a conflict among multiple goals. However, such a conflict is desirable because it is fictional. The only requirement is that the constructor of a narrative must not be too emotionally attached to any one of the goals specifically; that is, the constructor must remain "value neutral" (lest his/her work be classified as a political propaganda).
Related quote from the article: (...) for a narrative constructor, the most important is to at least make sure to be the last man standing when everyone else gives in to the “unconsciousness of the automatic” and want to cry.
Whenever we encounter something that is unfamiliar to us, we feel urged to make sense of it by means of observation and reasoning. The designer can create this kind of motivation by selectively hiding information from the viewer (e.g. 'Fog of War' in video games).
Related quote from the article: Since we like to avoid the anxiety that occurs when not understanding (by seeing strange things that we can´t identify) we create meanings (assumptions) to get in control. (...) And it´s here, in the very heart of the “anxiety-driven” learning narrative constructors reside by holding back and forwarding information to create curiosity.