Discussion Assignment Paper: How Stories Give Meaning (Essay Sample)

Stories are vital to humans. They’re the one thing that connects us to each other. Through stories, we are able to understand what another person is feeling or thinking. Stories allow us to empathize. Thus, they nourish our being, our intelligence, and our relationships. They’re also what makes all the noise and details around us meaningful.
For example, a set of data is just that – data. It will not make sense without the story behind it or the story that it is trying to tell. Without a story, it’s just noise. The statistics of people who were affected by a bombing will remain nothing but numbers unless people get to know some of their stories surrounding those affected. Who are they? What were their lives like before the bombing? What kind of jobs did they do and what relationships did these victims have with each other? This is the story that will make people care. Numbers do not move people into action. Stories do.
People are compelled into action by the stories that they choose to entertain. This is why it is very wise for a charitable organization to present a story regarding their cause instead of providing numbers. It appeals to the human emotion. A wildlife organization who are devoted to protecting animals and the environment will have little success gathering donations if all they share with potential donors are the number of animals getting extinct. Meanwhile, if they present a story about how a particular bear in captivity has lived its last moments in sadness and isolation, and was not able to reproduce because there was only one of it left, they have a better chance at moving someone into caring about their cause. A story is that powerful that it nourishes us in many ways.
This nourishment is not only evident in our ability to feel and empathize. It also enhances some of our skills. Someone who has trouble understanding physics will greatly improve if they are given a background of how its concepts were formed. If there is a story to help them connect each idea, it will make it easier for them to grasp it. Stories spark interest and when people are interested, they are more engaged and connected.
If you notice during social gatherings or even the small social interactions that happen everyday, people can’t help but tell stories. It is what makes life interesting. It is the connection that glues people together. There is always a story, no matter how trivial or dramatic it may be. Seeing your neighbor at the grocery store, you say hi ...