Meta-narrative

A meta-narrative is a broad, overarching story or framework that helps explain and give meaning to smaller stories or events within a culture, society, or field. It provides a big-picture perspective, shaping how people interpret history, values, and beliefs. For example, the idea of progress as an inevitable march toward betterment is a meta-narrative influencing many individual stories about technological and social development. While these narratives can unify understanding, they can also oversimplify complex realities, and modern perspectives often critique or question such grand overarching stories.