How Stories Make Us Human

While humans and animals share numerous traits, there are even more characteristics that keep us apart. Human beings love to paint themselves as bloodthirsty apex predators; however, our primal instincts are not bathed in blood. They are layered in telling stories, in looking at the stars and seeing great adventures. Mankind is always reaching for someone and something every moment of the way.

All organisms communicate in one way or another, but only humans tell stories. In fact, we’re inherently storytellers because our brains are wired for narratives, we think in story form. This is a tool that is crucial in a world where we look towards science and technology to find answers for the future. People need to be educated enough to make intelligent decisions. To achieve this, we must make emotional connections between scientists and the public. As Lisa Cron, a story analyst, says, “Stories allow us to simulate intense experiences without having to actually live through them. Stories allow us to experience the world before we actually have to experience it.”

Stories are how we form our beliefs, and distinguish how they correlate with the beliefs of others. By sharing and listening to each other’s stories, we all get a little bit closer to the truth. Nonetheless, the effect of stories is not purely emotional, chemicals like cortisol, dopamine, and oxytocin are released in the brain when we hear a story. Cortisol assists in forming memories. Dopamine helps regulate emotional responses, keeping us engaged. Oxytocin is related to empathy, a key tool in building good relationships. This is why storytelling was the central theme of the 2018 Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) Conference in New Zealand.

In short, the more information is conveyed as a story, the more empathetic people become in real life. We all share stories to explain things to ourselves and to others. We construct internal narratives to help us make sense of the world. Fundamentally, storytelling is about learning. Which is why it’s important to use it in our organizational structures and learning programs. Using storytelling, we can engage with, influence, teach, and inspire one another.

Nevertheless, stories are everywhere. Much of our lives are dedicated to telling stories about where we went, what we did, and who we did it with. Human beings have been telling stories for as long as history can trace, and we will likely continue to do so for the rest of our lives. Storytelling is not just telling or writing narratives. Storytelling is integral to the human experience.