Story selection may seem vague and intellectual, it’s actually very powerful

SHOOT: Our realities are governed by the stories, the narratives we accept as individuals and communities. The Fort Hood example shows how vital it is that we choose these narratives wisely, and are discerning in terms of whether to pass them on.

clipped from www.nytimes.com But unlike the other animals, people do have a drive to seek coherence and meaning. We have a need to tell ourselves stories that explain it all. We use these stories to supply the metaphysics, without which life seems pointless and empty. Among all the things we don’t control, we do have some control over our stories. We do have a conscious say in selecting the narrative we will use to make sense of the world. Individual responsibility is contained in the act of selecting and constantly revising the master narrative we tell about ourselves. The stories we select help us, in turn, to interpret the world. They guide us to pay attention to certain things and ignore other things. So while story selection may seem vague and intellectual, it’s actually very powerful. The most important power we have is the power to help select the lens through which we see reality.