Stories Work Because They Work

Why do stories work?

We all have different reasons why we think stories so powerfully turn ignored, ordinary, small and insignificant things into something personal, important and worth more to us than their cost.

Maybe because we have a metaphysical assumption about the eternal magic of stories - connecting everything from biology to ideas of soul and identity.

Or maybe because we see patterns where there aren't patterns - where no one else sees patterns, and we have the sixth sense of story.

Or even the social and anthropological necessities people need to create and sustain community, identity and everything from folklore and traditions to superstition and nationalism.

We can argue all day long, and we won't end our debate. We'll only be telling stories about telling stories in an infinite loop of disconnected and useless words.

Or, we can use what works because it seems to work.

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