- As humans, we often relate to the "humanizing" nature of real stories...
From explainer videos to blockbuster HBO series, human beings are obsessed with storytelling. We like to have information presented to us in the form of a narrative, with compelling characters and an interesting setting.
But why is this the case? And what can we learn from this seemingly primordial fascination?
Abstraction, Metaphor, and Understanding
Arguably, the most important reason humans are obsessed with storytelling is because stories and narratives give us an opportunity to better understand the world through abstraction, metaphor, and higher levels of understanding. It’s much easier for us to learn things and contemplate the concepts of our surroundings when information is presented to us in a digestible, figurative form.
Think about this in the context of childhood learning and socialization. It’s easy for a parent to tell their child that they shouldn’t lie; this is a direct and straightforward moral assertion that provides unambiguous information to a child who doesn’t understand the world very well yet. But to a child, even a simple, understandable phrase is hard to internalize because it doesn’t have any context or a deeper foundation.
That’s why many parents choose to use stories as a way to teach lessons. Instead of just telling your child they shouldn’t lie, you can tell them the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, illustrating the devastating consequences that lying can have with a central character, and the story that has of beginning, a middle, and an end.
This also applies to brands using storytelling as a marketing medium. Instead of just telling your customers what your product is and how it works, you can use a story in an explainer video to showcase how your product is used by real people. It’s much more effective to see the product used by a fictional or real character who has a problem, finds a way to address that problem, and eventually resolves the problem.
The more complex the concepts we’re trying to understand, the more important storytelling becomes. Movies, books, graphic novels, and even video games all use narratives to help us understand some of life’s toughest problems, such as why tragedies happen, the fundamentals of human nature, and even with the fabric of reality truly is.
Memory and Retention
We can also explain the human obsession with storytelling as a gateway to greater memory and retention. Historically, countless cultures have relied on oral traditions as a way to preserve collective memories, important lessons, and cultural values. It’s hard to remember a gigantic list of rules you’re supposed to follow within a culture, but it’s relatively easy to remember a handful of stories that embody those rules and show why they’re important.
Most of us have thousands of stories in our memory; we may forget specific lines of dialogue or secondary characters, but we remember the broad strokes of countless narratives.
Oxytocin and Good Feelings
Scientific studies show that when people engage with a story, their brains generally release oxytocin, a “feel good” hormone associated with bonding, compassion, and trust. This is one reason why it’s so important to read with your children while they’re growing up – and why sharing in storytelling is such a potentially powerful bonding experience.
For one reason or another, we love to hear and engage in stories, and we love it even more when we do so surrounded by people we love and respect. Storytelling has formed the foundation of almost every human culture in history, and it remains a valuable way to share experiences and grow closer with people.
On top of that, great stories give us opportunities to discuss messages and analyze the meaning of works with others. You may interpret the story one way, but find value in the interpretation of a friend or family member.
Empathy and Relatability
Humans are also social and empathetic creatures. Hearing or engaging in a story is a way to exercise our empathy and compassion, giving us more emotional tools we can use in our day-to-day life.
For example, if you witness enough stories of villainous figures who have good intentions and tragic pasts, you’ll end up with a more sophisticated sense of empathy and compassion for even our most nefarious criminals.
Anyone who enjoys watching TV shows or movies, or reading books as a hobby can tell you how stress relieving and fulfilling these activities can be. While nothing compares to a real world relationship or friendship, connecting to fictional characters is a reasonable alternative – and potentially, a way to discover more about yourself and how you relate to humans.
Storytelling has long been a part of human culture, and it will likely remain a part of our culture forever. Our fascination is multifaceted, and it’s clear just how much value and power narratives can hold.