powied

Powied is a fictional term used in speculative fiction and online worldbuilding to describe a mechanism by which stories, ideas, and memories propagate across communities through narrative repetition. In this concept, each retelling acts as a transfer of information, with subtle changes introduced by the teller, amplifying reach and shaping collective memory. Powied emphasizes the social dynamics of storytelling rather than the technical means of transmission; it can be realized in any medium—oral tradition, text, video, or interactive media—and is often modeled in worldbuilding exercises to explore how myths arise and evolve.

Etymology: The word powied is a portmanteau of "power" and "said," reflecting the perceived influence of spoken words. It is not tied to a specific language but is used across communities that study narrative diffusion.

Origins and usage: The term appears in online writing communities and role-playing circles as a convenient shorthand for the phenomenon of a tale gaining momentum beyond its original teller. It is commonly discussed in analyses of oral history, memes, and rumor dynamics.

Mechanics and variations: In powied theory, a story's reach depends on factors such as credibility of narrators, social networks, and cultural salience. Variants include powied spikes (rapid surges in spread), powied decay (loss of novelty over time), and powied resonance (alignment with audience values).

Criticism and reception: Critics argue that powied can oversimplify complex information diffusion and risk equating entertainment with durable knowledge.

See also: memetics, narrative diffusion, folklore, information cascades.