On A Sentimental Note...

After our discussion in class today on Storytelling, I have to admit I walked away feeling a general sense of sadness in the loss of a great oral tradition. After thinking about stories I have heard and what the purpose of these stories have been I have noticed an incredibly important and special trend. Every single time I have heard a story it has acted as a type of glue that binds the listeners together with one another and with the storyteller. In other words, the purpose of the majority of the stories I have heard has always under the surface been told for the sake of creating a bond and understanding between people. This kind of connection is incredibly important in our culture today. Everybody in the world, and especially in our American society, has a real sense of individualism. We are all always running in ten different directions trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives, how we can make the most money possible, how we can get the most out of live, etc. etc. All of these thought processes or goals are centered on the success of the individual. The idea of community has taken a backseat to selfish ambitions and desires. Because of these individualistic mentalities it has become increasingly difficult for human beings to relate to one another. Storytelling then, can be therapeutic for our society because it reminds us all why we are here to begin with....to connect and build relationships with one another. Back to my original thought-I was reminded of all of this today in class as we discussed storytelling and the lack of it we see in our culture today. If our society is turning away from storytelling and towards an information culture, what does this mean for the human's ability to relate and connect with another person? Thinking about this too much is a scary thought. I wish there was a way we could all return to storytelling as a means of understanding and learning rather than just being asked regurgitate information that literally sits in our brains offering no stimulation at all. I think educators and people in general would be surprised at how storytelling could be an incredibly useful tool not only for education but also for social development as well.