The article discusses how human storytelling is pivotal to our identity, revealing how our brains have evolved to think narratively. This framework explains a variety of human experiences, from personal relationships to extreme beliefs and actions motivated by identity. The author emphasizes that our lives are structured like stories, with crises, struggles, and resolutions influencing our sense of self. The article highlights that we often prioritize our constructed identities over our survival, showcasing the power of storytelling in shaping human behavior and thought.
For nearly 20 years, I've been researching and writing about the human brain as a storyteller. My work has unalterably changed the way I see the human world in general, and myself in particular.
We think in stories, we talk in stories, we believe in stories, we are stories. This story world is where we spend most of our psychological time.
The self as it exists in this imaginary realm is not made of flesh and blood, but a collection of ideas about who we are.
Indeed, our devotion to identity can be more important than life itself. It's ordinary for human beings to choose identity over their actual survival.
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