The stories we tell are frameworks to structure experience. They are lenses through which we try to make sense of our surroundings and ourselves.
When we forget that stories are interpretations of reality and not reality itself, we give them more power than they warrant. After a while, we forget altogether that what we have is a story.
For example, take “us and them.” The fact that who constitutes “us” and “them” changes all the time, depending on the situation, should be a sign that, when we find ourselves in that dualism, we’re trading in stories rather than reality.
“Us and them” feels real, but just because it feels real doesn’t make it so. And while it makes for compelling drama, does demonizing others offer the best real-world possibilities for our own lives and those of others?
———————
Please consider sharing this post with someone if you found it helpful.
You can sign up to receive these posts here.