Stories Are at the Heart of All Things

Stories have always been around. Back in the day, it was how information was told. It was used as a warning for others, a way to tell their history, and a way to make sense of the unknown. They’ve taken many forms, but the core remains the same. Stories exist to tell us something. They’re digestible and entertaining.

Today

In our current society, a story can come in many forms. A song, movie, show, comic, and book are all common. It’s a way we can immerse ourselves in new lands, learn about different cultures, and build mutual understanding.

In the Past

Newspapers, letters, books, songs, and documentaries helped us hold onto our history for future generations.

During WW2 Germany began burning books. It’s simply because fascists don’t want people to see any narrative other than the one they give. It adds another layer to how important stories are. It’s information, and without it, we’d lose community and understanding as we see it. It’s possible that there would be other forms of news that would be passed down instead, but stories have always been around, and that impact is big.

To Keep in Mind

The interesting thing is that the destruction of stories, knowledge, is always small when it first starts out. For example, removing books from the library. Maybe it’s only certain books, and maybe it’s only in certain locations. They’ll claim it’s for the best. After all, most people aren’t trying to be malicious. In fact, my belief is that most truly believe they’re doing the right thing. But if you don’t have access to every angle available, if you’re not constantly challenging yourself, how can you be sure you’re really doing the best thing?

Stories help us keep an open mind.

Stories Are Courageous

Stories will always be around, as they have before. We need them. We can learn from past mistakes through them. We can nurture compassion by connecting to characters in a story, even if that book is fiction.

In a way, stories are powerful. Their strength and knowledge. They can teach us about ourselves and others around us.

However, we can also choose to ignore these benefits and still find them enjoyable. We can root for a character just because we want to. It doesn’t always have to be deep.

That’s the beauty of a story. It can be so many things or simply help us to relax after a long day, and I, for one, think that’s amazing.

What's your favorite story?