What makes us human? Stories. "Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter."

Why do humans believe in stories?

Because we are the only species that imagines stories, tells stories, records stories, believes in stories, and often, gets wealthy by investing in stories.

Storytelling is not something we learn; it's something we’re born with. It’s not "Nurture", it’s "Nature". Stories are an evolutionary necessity for survival.

Let’s start from the beginning.

Every ancient civilization—Indians, Chinese, Mayans, Aztecs, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans had stories at the heart of their culture, even without contact with each other. The sheer universality of storytelling across time and geography points to one conclusion: it is innate.

From the moment we are born, we are surrounded by stories. Bedtime stories as a child. Textbooks and fables in school. Narratives and pitches at work. And at the end of life, a eulogy tells the story of a life lived.

But why do we need stories?

Hope.

Animals live for the day. Humans live for a better tomorrow.

Stories fuel hope.

Lions don’t think about the past or the future. They don’t plan for their cubs’ education, retirement, or worry about leaving the savannah in better shape for the next generation. Animals live in the present. They have mastered the art of mindful meditation.

But humans live for the future, and the future is unknowable. And stories help us navigate that uncertainty.

The stories we tell—about gods, goddesses, markets, products, careers help us cope with an uncertain and unknowable future.

The ancient Greeks believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus, as fact. The Romans had their own versions, equally real to them.

But when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, these gods began their journey—from fact, to story, to myth.

What we hold as fact today may be a story tomorrow, and a myth the day after.

It seems absurd now that the world’s greatest minds once believed Greek and Roman mythology as facts and science. But they did, and the absurdity has continued when you look back through history through the generations.

So, what are the “facts” we believe today that future generations will laugh at as myth?

Meta Questions to ponder over the weekend.
We are a tiny speck in a vast, incomprehensible universe.
1. Can an individual piece of the puzzle (Humans) ever grasp the whole puzzle (Ultimate reality)?
2. Are we, perhaps, just characters in someone else’s story?
3. Are we living in a simulation?

Take it easy until next time.

Blogging is something I enjoy, and I share my thoughts on my blog most weekends.

Read all my “Notes to Self” at view all blogs.