fastcompany: Until recently we’ve only been able to speculate about story’s persuasive effects. But over the last several decades psychology has begun a serious study of how story affects the human mind. Results repeatedly show that our attitudes, fears, hopes, and values are strongly influenced by story. In fact, fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than writing that is specifically designed to persuade through argument and evidence. Why Storytelling  Is The Ultimate Weapon I find it interesting that the first thing this article does is say that anecdotal evidence is not enough…to prove the value of storytelling. Isn’t persuading someone through anecdote just a form of storytelling communication? The fact that this writer doesn’t trust the power of story until it is proven by the non-narrative “data clumps” he says don’t matter - doesn’t that, well, prove that those data clumps matter? More even than the stories, since we need them to verify the story? As an official Humanities Person (R) I am always skeptical of Science with a capital S claiming an inhuman level of objectivity. Frequently the idea of scientific “objectivity” is as constructed and misleading as any outright narrative. I’m not saying this necessarily validates or invalidates the points put forth in this article, but I’m disappointed that this wasn’t even touched upon. The superiority of the “view from nowhere” is assumed and unchallenged, even in an article about something that should question the very foundations of that assumption.
Pop-upView Separately

fastcompany:

Until recently we’ve only been able to speculate about story’s persuasive effects. But over the last several decades psychology has begun a serious study of how story affects the human mind. Results repeatedly show that our attitudes, fears, hopes, and values are strongly influenced by story. In fact, fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than writing that is specifically designed to persuade through argument and evidence.

Why Storytelling  Is The Ultimate Weapon

I find it interesting that the first thing this article does is say that anecdotal evidence is not enough…to prove the value of storytelling. Isn’t persuading someone through anecdote just a form of storytelling communication? The fact that this writer doesn’t trust the power of story until it is proven by the non-narrative “data clumps” he says don’t matter - doesn’t that, well, prove that those data clumps matter? More even than the stories, since we need them to verify the story?

As an official Humanities Person (R) I am always skeptical of Science with a capital S claiming an inhuman level of objectivity. Frequently the idea of scientific “objectivity” is as constructed and misleading as any outright narrative. I’m not saying this necessarily validates or invalidates the points put forth in this article, but I’m disappointed that this wasn’t even touched upon. The superiority of the “view from nowhere” is assumed and unchallenged, even in an article about something that should question the very foundations of that assumption.

50 Notes/ Hide

  1. withthepromiseofanend reblogged this from fastcompany
  2. gatadourada reblogged this from photographsonthebrain
  3. bookwormbreakfast reblogged this from fastcompany and added:
    I find it interesting that the first thing this article does is say that anecdotal evidence is not enough…to prove the...
  4. who-cares-so-what reblogged this from fastcompany
  5. chunkybrain reblogged this from fastcompany and added:
    Why Storytelling Is The Ultimate Weapon fastcompany: Until recently we’ve only been able to speculate about story’s...
  6. mctumblovin reblogged this from fastcompany
  7. rocknlobster reblogged this from carabas and added:
    I very much look forward to more science regarding the impact of myth, stories, and traditions on the mind. Joseph...
  8. marginwalking reblogged this from alissawilkinson
  9. pag-asameanshope reblogged this from photographsonthebrain
  10. capice reblogged this from fastcompany
  11. comunisfera reblogged this from fastcompany and added:
    No es que las historias vendan; tampoco me gusta considerarlas persuasivas. Queda mejor expresado diciendo que las...
  12. alissawilkinson reblogged this from fastcompany and added:
    From
  13. grimdark-misandrist reblogged this from dancingtothemuzak and added:
    understanding comics was one of the first comic books i ever read (even before hopeless savages). what i remember most...
  14. dancingtothemuzak reblogged this from fastcompany and added:
    I’m going to buy this book soon: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-The-Invisible-Art/dp/006097625X/ref=lh_ni_t...
  15. vialidadfallidamty reblogged this from photographsonthebrain
  16. photographsonthebrain reblogged this from fastcompany
  17. becomingastoryteller reblogged this from fastcompany
  18. theoriginalchingy reblogged this from fastcompany
  19. juliefredrickson reblogged this from fastcompany
  20. emlocke reblogged this from fastcompany
  21. fastcompany posted this