One of my friends recently asked me "Why do you think humans are so drawn to stories?".
My instant response: "I would guess continuity and the ability to identify with parts of characters."
A few seconds later I said: "I think its a relatable framework to share ideas"
The question reminded me of an article that I had seen posted on Facebook that talked about the issue. I had initially skipped it because I was more in the mood for interesting/amusing discussions rather than something serious.
The three statements that stood out to me (mainly because they were bolded in the article) were:
- "A story, if broken down into the simplest form, is a connection of cause and effect."
- "Now, whenever we hear a story, we want to relate it to one of our existing experiences."
- "A story can put your whole brain to work."
The first statement made obvious sense to me, and fit in live with my comment on continuity. A continuous chain of cause and effect is the basic structure of a story. Even when authors present disjointed stories, it is the bonds between segments that help pull the reader in.
The second statement hit home with me. I realize that this has been something that I tend to do to a fault. If a friend tells me about their trip to a restaurant, I immediately start telling them about my last trip there. If I hear a new band, I start trying to figure out what known frame of reference I can link them to. When I read a book or watch a TV show, I figure out which part of characters I identify with. Right now, I would like to think of my self as a mixture of Tom and Leslie from Parks and Rec with a little Tyrion, Jamie, and Tywin Lannister mixed in.
The third statement was the main thing that I did not consider, but explains my last statement. While it makes sense in hindsight, the fact that stories engage multiple parts of our brain is really interesting. The author of the article talks about how this engagement allows us to plant ideas into the minds of others. The fact that this is such a deep method of "sharing ideas" is kinda crazy.
Stories allow us to relate to each other in order to create a more cohesive community. And that is what life is all about right?
Lyric of the day: Avicii - Wake Me Up
"So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself
And I didn't know I was lost"
My instant response: "I would guess continuity and the ability to identify with parts of characters."
A few seconds later I said: "I think its a relatable framework to share ideas"
The question reminded me of an article that I had seen posted on Facebook that talked about the issue. I had initially skipped it because I was more in the mood for interesting/amusing discussions rather than something serious.
The three statements that stood out to me (mainly because they were bolded in the article) were:
- "A story, if broken down into the simplest form, is a connection of cause and effect."
- "Now, whenever we hear a story, we want to relate it to one of our existing experiences."
- "A story can put your whole brain to work."
The first statement made obvious sense to me, and fit in live with my comment on continuity. A continuous chain of cause and effect is the basic structure of a story. Even when authors present disjointed stories, it is the bonds between segments that help pull the reader in.
The second statement hit home with me. I realize that this has been something that I tend to do to a fault. If a friend tells me about their trip to a restaurant, I immediately start telling them about my last trip there. If I hear a new band, I start trying to figure out what known frame of reference I can link them to. When I read a book or watch a TV show, I figure out which part of characters I identify with. Right now, I would like to think of my self as a mixture of Tom and Leslie from Parks and Rec with a little Tyrion, Jamie, and Tywin Lannister mixed in.
The third statement was the main thing that I did not consider, but explains my last statement. While it makes sense in hindsight, the fact that stories engage multiple parts of our brain is really interesting. The author of the article talks about how this engagement allows us to plant ideas into the minds of others. The fact that this is such a deep method of "sharing ideas" is kinda crazy.
Stories allow us to relate to each other in order to create a more cohesive community. And that is what life is all about right?
Lyric of the day: Avicii - Wake Me Up
"So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself
And I didn't know I was lost"
