The Story Paradox by Jonathan Gottschall
7 out of 10Human minds abhor a story vacuum. Is this true? I don't know but it sounds good.
All narratives are reductionist, but they can be very powerful tools affecting how we see the world. Every person, tribe, cult, religion, nation, empire, and business intentionally tells stories linked to their own survival. Truth is often low on the list of things that make a story widespread and long-lasting.
Media can change. It is proposed that the proliferation of novels in the 18th and 19th centuries increased empathy. The modern media battlefield is open to anyone wanting to "control the narrative". According to Gottschall, we may be a little wiser in the future, though marketing and propaganda will continue to be a part of who we are as homo sapiens.