The Power of Story
Humans think in stories and that is why we are obsessed with telling them and experiencing them. Some of the biggest industries in our country have to do with story telling or are connected to storytelling. The idea of the story of something infects everything from television programming to sports and even the valuation of stocks. Politicians use stories to set examples or spin a narrative. How the story is told about something is incredibly powerful. Today we are going to consider the power of story.
Why is Story so Important?
One of the things I always tell readers and listeners on The Cameron Journal is that “News is a narrative, that’s why they call it a story.” Now that usually has to do with something gone wrong in political coverage or in society. However, it is a useful idea to help us think about story. Humans think in story and that’s important because it helps us understand how others thing and how we, ourselves, conceive of the world.
Almost all media tells some kind of story. Authors use words to paint pictures and create events that tells a story (fiction) or uses facts and expertise to tell a story (non-fiction). The job of a film editor is to take recorded footage of light reflections and make it tell a story. The same goes for a photographer, only their challenge is harder because they must tell a story in a single image. At least film has movement and time, photography has to do all its storytelling work in a single moment. Even memes tell a story through a static image that can poke fun at something or express disgust, joy or other emotions using pop culture references or an image that expresses that emotion.
Although written language is fairly new, humans have been using images to tell stories and record events. Even before we had words we had story and we painted cave walls and great edifices with symbols that told a story that was meaningful. Ancient artifacts can tell us about the people that used them and what mattered in their time and culture. History is the story of times, people and places that are removed from us but through which we are connected through the human experience. Some of the best stories from the past have survived to this day to help humans understand the world around from. Works like Beowulf, The Tale of Genji, The Epic of Gilgamesh or even sacred texts like The Bible, Quran, or Bhagavad Gita are works that connect us to an ancient past. It is story that gives these texts life.
We Think in Story
No matter how you relate to your past and your life, we always have a story to tell. Story is how we relate to ourselves and others each other. One of the most “annoying” things that ADHD and Autistic people do is to share a relatable story when people tell their own experiences or problems. While some people think that means they are “making it all about them” it really is a reflection of circumstance and expresses a simple thought: you are not alone.
Story makes us feel like we are part of the greater human experience. We can see ourselves in the different characters on the page. When we identify with them and their story we can find the parallels in our own lives that can make us feel validated or reach for the stars. Outside of literature, family stories have the same powerful effect. They connect us with your past and who came before us. Those stories can also give us hope for the future and the next generation.
Story is Powerful
A good story can raise stock valuations, kill (or save) a politicians careers or shift how we think about things. TV and Movies fill this role for most and YouTube videos can do it too, but the reality is that because we think in story, the stories we tell ourselves and how they help us conceive of the world are incredibly powerful. The power of story can be used for good or evil (depending on your perspective) but the power is always there. If you can tell a better story that gives validation to emotion, fresh passion or other emotive qualities, that story can easily translate to people and can influence their decisions and how they look at life. As much as I do not like the Harry Potter franchise (and never has since it was published) I will say that no piece of literature has had a greater societal impact in the 21st century. It is a series of books and movies that have created a whole universe and have shaped many people of my generation and the generations after us. The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, and other such franchises have also had a similar effect not only for the story that they tell but the effect they had on people.
Final Thoughts
As a writer, I always knew that a great story had the power to inspire people but I had never considered how much power stories had until years later. For me, as a child, stories were just the things inside my head. But as I grew, I discovered the true power of story to change minds, shift narratives and effect people in a profound way. If humans think in story, then story is the pathway to changing hearts and minds.
If you are interested in writing a book and telling your unique story! My new writing courses: The Power of Story (fiction and non-fiction) are now available! You get year long access to the complete course as well as access to our bi-weekly writing group and 2 coaching sessions with me! To sign up today visit: The Cameron Journal Academy.
