Netflix Might Not Be A Waste of Time
As a writer, I sometimes fall into the temptation to think that my stories don’t matter; that they’re somehow a lesser hobby that can never compare to the important deeds done by others in more sophisticated careers paths.
Every time this happens, however, I come back to the same realization: we need stories.
From the dawn of time, human beings have craved story – to listen, to tell and to create them. Like language, it’s an instinct that spans across the divisions of culture, race, gender and age. Mothers everywhere tell stories to their children to teach them the ways of life; and even after we’ve left the nest, they continue to shape us.
Stories at their best can show us what it means to face an obstacle and become a hero. They give us a view through other people’s eyes and connect us to one another over shared experiences. They allow us preview the consequences of certain actions, from which we can learn without having to experience them ourselves. They educate our desires, as Scott Russell Sanders from The Georgia Review writes:
“Instead of playing on our selfishness and fear, stories can give us images for what is truly worth seeking, worth having, worth doing.” (Read full article)
Stories a pivotal for our growth as people, because our brains are hardwired to learn from them. I’m not only referring to books, mind you. Story comes in a wealth of forms: movies, TV, plays, dance, music and more. So whether you’re on the creating or the receiving end, I encourage you to embrace the art of story, even when the world tells you it’s a foolish waste of time – because the world is lying.
