A little more on storytelling

If you get a moment (40 minutes to be precise) have a listen to the BBC broadcast, 'The Pleasures and  Perils of Storytelling'.  (An episode from the series, The Forum').


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03ggdc1


Three experts discuss why storytelling is so powerful as well as its limits.  A few key messages to come from the programme:

• People seek simplicity, but crave empathy more.
• People who read a lot of fiction are more empathic.
• Stories are effective ways of linking facts, meaning and emotion.
• We like stories that we can relate to, emotionally.
• We like stories that put us in a place of awe; that force us to accommodate new learning.
• Leaders should not only be adept at storytelling but also in listening to and gathering the stories that their followers tell.
• We should be wary of over-simplification; the complex problems we face today may not be explainable through narrative.