The Narrative Animal

Three Point Essay | Understanding the insane power of stories + how to use them to your advantage

Jeff Sullivan

Mar 24, 2023

In December 1974, two stars collided in California.

Muhammad Ali was preparing for his rematch with Joe Frazier. Leaving the gym one night, he bumped into Clint Eastwood.

“Hey, you’re that cowboy in the movies.” Ali joked.

“Ha. How you doing champ? Big fight coming up huh?”

Ali ignored the actor's words.

“I don’t know why all the ladies are obsessed with you, when I exist.”

“Funny, I was wondering the same thing.” Eastwood smirked. “But seriously, good luck against Frazier. And remember, it ain’t about how hard ya hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward.”

“Ugly Joe ain’t gon’ touch me this time. And who are you to be giving fighting advice to me? Go dress up and play pretend.”

“I will. I’m on my way to a rehearsal now. Nice to meet you, Muhammad.”

“Likewise cowboy.” Ali said as he threw a fake jab.

Clint tipped his cap and walked off into the night.

A month later, Ali won against Frazier in a unanimous decision.

I. Stories captivate the human mind

I made that up. Stories are fun.

Human beings are the narrative animal. We love stories. They entertain us, help us make sense of the world, and often contain important truths.

The reason stories have such power over us is because they make us feel. You can try and persuade someone with all the logical facts and data in the world, but nothing will move them as much as telling a story.

Steve Jobs said that the most powerful person in the world is the storyteller, and it’s true in some sense. Some of the wealthiest people and organizations in the world are in the storytelling business. From authors, podcasters, and influencers, to Disney, Netflix, and Hollywood production companies, they all leverage stories—stories that inspire and unite people.

II. The negative side of stories

However the purpose of many stories is not to unite people, but divide them.

Stories simplify complex matters. So using them is an easy way for anyone—typically politicians and people in the media—to gain support from their ‘side’; because even the least intelligent, least-educated, or most delusional people can understand the message behind the story: we’re good, they’re bad.

Divisive storytellers also enjoy the fact that stories that appeal to negative emotions have a more powerful affect on us. One reason is because our brains are always looking out for potential threats, to ensure our survival. We react strongly to things we perceive as dangerous—not just wild animals or gun shots, but ideas from stories too. The same part of your brain (the amygdala) that’s hyperactive when you’re close to being in a car crash is also hyperactive when someone tells an anecdote that makes you feel unsettled or outraged.

So it’s no surprise how many people’s ‘beliefs’ are just a collection of stories that validate their hatred and disgust for another group or belief system. This is a bit sad. “The way out is to think freely,” Lex Fridman tells us, “detached from the divisive narratives of the day that masquerade as universal truths.”

Intentionally divisive stories are just one way stories can delude, mislead, or confuse us.

Everyone knows stories can contain lies or fiction. But even stories with all real events are often bullshit. Because we’re programmed to crave stories and use them to understand the world, we’re susceptible to what’s called narrative fallacy:

Narrative fallacy describes what happens when a person puts a series of circumstances, happenings, or life events into a logical order so they can process it more easily.

In other words, humans tend to combine unrelated and chance events into a story so everything makes more sense. When, in reality, there was actually no coherent story. Only the messy randomness and luck of life.

We collect stories in our mind thinking we’re understanding the world better, but all we’re doing is simplifying it. “We shrink the world to fit our minds,” writer Gurwinder Bhogal explains, “and think we’ve expanded our minds to grasp the world.”

How do you get better at not letting stories dominate your thinking? It’s all about awareness. Once you realize stories are everywhere, in everything, you can’t unsee it. You’ll notice them every day, all the time. In the news, in social media, and in most conversations.

III. The positive side of stories

There’s 3 main ways you can use stories to your advantage:

You’re a story that you tell yourself, tell a heroic one

Use your words in a way that your story is one of a hero. Why wouldn’t you?

You don’t have to pretend you’re living some mystical narrative. A simple change in language does the trick:

You’re not weak, you’re getting stronger.
You’re not stupid, you’re learning.
You’re not a loser, you’re about to rise.

Change your words, change your life. Combine these mindsets with actions and habits that support them. Boom. The story of your life is better.

Become hyper-aware of when you’re getting told a story + be a storyteller

Again, it’s smart to be hyper-aware when someone is telling a story. Because it’s probably going to pull your emotions in a positive or negative way. Emotional reactions or decisions are usually bad.

There’s also your ability to tell more stories. Instead of only being bombarded with stories from others, create your own too. Leverage the power of narrative to your advantage. Assume that power (hopefully you have good intentions). “Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others” Rumi once wrote, “Unfold your own myth.”

Recognize the metaphorical truth of stories

Metaphorical truth is the most magical aspect of stories.

What is metaphorical truth? It’s the idea that some stories—especially religious ones—aren’t actually true in the sense that they occurred; but the morals of the stories are true in the sense that they will make your life better if you follow them.

Substack writer Erik Torenberg elaborated on this idea of metaphorical truth, (which comes from Bret Weinstein), saying:

The narratives that underlie religion aren’t literally true, but they are metaphorically true, meaning that if you were to act in accordance with religion, you’d have better outcomes than if you didn’t…
Religions have literal falsehoods, but they contain directional truths. It’s because they are not false as much as they are simplifications of what’s true…they are hacks for us to understand and remember phenomena that are beyond our comprehension. We are story-bound creatures.

You may wonder, why are so many religious stories so absurd, so dramatic, so obviously not true in a literal sense?

Well, maybe the ancients were genius in that they knew the best way to transmit knowledge and ideas through time was in the form of stories. Particularly stories that spark our imagination. Because that’s what humans love.