How Telling Stories Makes Us Human
Humans have evolved the capacity to create and believe in stories. Narratives can also transcend the “here and now” by introducing individuals to situations beyond their everyday experience, which may increase empathy and perspective-taking towards others, including strangers.
Daniel Smith • Why do we tell stories? Hunter-gatherers shed light on the evolutionary roots of fiction
it is not enough for people to know that they should drive on a certain side of the road, they also need to know that others possess that same knowledge. Stories may therefore act to ensure that all members of the group know, and consequently abide by, the “rules of the game” in a given society.
Daniel Smith • Why do we tell stories? Hunter-gatherers shed light on the evolutionary roots of fiction
“People are attracted to stories because we’re social creatures and we relate to other people,”4 says Johns Hopkins researcher Keith Quesenberry.
Carmine Gallo • The Storyteller's Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch On and Others Don't
The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better
Will Storr • 8 highlights
amazon.com
Humans have an extraordinary thirst for knowledge. Storytellers excite these instincts by creating worlds but stopping short of telling readers everything about them.