Stories are indifferent.
They’re the most powerful tool we possess.
They can also be our most devastating weapon.
A story doesn’t have to be true to move us. It doesn’t have to be good for us, either. If you can master words, you can master the world.
Humans are wired for story. The tension draws us in. The payoff moves us to action. We get sucked into a good story. Sometimes we’re not even aware of how a story has changed us.
I believe in the power of story to do tremendous good. I don’t think it’s an accident that so much of Christian Scripture takes the form of story. Or that Jesus himself so often taught through parables. Those stories have survived across generations and cultures. They’re still profoundly applicable even today.
Unfortunately, people use story for numerous nefarious purposes, too. They grift and manipulate. Con and swindle. All by wielding the power of story.
Story can change us for the good. But it can also deceive us.
How do we stay curious about the good stories while recognizing the stories being used against us?