Stories can drive us mad, they can encourage us or discourage us. This is not new to anyone, but stories are much more than that. Stories drive human civilization – think I’m crazy? From the Mongols taking over half the world and some of the most significant accomplishments of the human race, like the moon landing; a story was at the center of it all—a story which had to be believed by many. Stories, especially in this day and age, can be heard by almost the entire earth and shape us and society like nothing else. No other animal than the human can listen and believe such complex stories. Some large animals form groups to work together, but what other animal than the human can be led by the millions to work together because of a single story instead of pure instincts? A swarm of millions of locusts won’t listen to any story told by one locust and suddenly turn around against its instincts. Of course, a locust can’t tell a story but thanks to those stories humans tell each other, millions of people can work together or against each other. A single story can be the root of you turning your life around or in fact for a whole society.
All rules in our societies today originated from stories; enough people have to believe and follow them for them to be effective. To some degree, each rule of society is still a story that is written down and hopefully widely agreed upon in that society. Many rules originated from religions and religions are arguably the most effective stories ever told whether you personally believe in them or not. Stories influence our values, beliefs, and ethical compass. They can challenge societal norms, encourage critical thinking and push us to question the world around us. In this way, stories play a pivotal role in shaping the collective consciousness of societies.
Each business needs to tell a good story to sell something. These stories can be spread through advertisements, labels on their products, and so on. These stories, hopefully positive ones, can also be told by other customers of course. Misleading or downright false stories are often told to sell customers on false promises to make a quick buck. Stories are told to reflect the values of their customers, whether the company actually follows those values or not.
A main motivation for me to start writing is to share stories; my ideas and thoughts which hopefully can help others, but it also is an exercise for myself on how to tell stories better. Not a single reader is needed for me to accomplish the more selfish part of that goal, which is how to tell stories better. I want to tell my own stories about finance, philosophy and so on, to help others and ultimately, make life more fulfilling. I am on the same quest as well, which is to lead a fulfilling life and help others do so as well. Too many bad or wrong stories are told which lead us to chase one short-term dopamine rush to the next and make us ultimately incredibly unhappy. I am a lifelong learner and still have a lot to learn, but there are quite some stories that I believe I can tell well and help others with.
In essence, storytelling is an integral part of what makes us human. It shapes our identity, builds connections, and enriches our lives in ways that extend far beyond entertainment. Whether we sit around a campfire or scroll through digital narratives like Reddit, let us cherish the power of storytelling. After all, we are the stories we tell.