Jessie_11_I

On page 242 Simmons asks why people don't tell more stories. I think that a lot of the time people just don't consider stories a valid tool for whatever it is they're trying to do. If I'm trying to sell someone on an idea I don't walk into their office and launch into a big pre-planned story. I walk into their office and try to spit as much information out as I can before they start in on the "Do you even know what an appointment/office hours are?" spiel. If I overdraw my checking account (actually, that should be when, not if) I don't go to my fiance with some big sob story about really needing whatever it was I bought that pushed me into the red. I just go tell him I overdrew my account and he gives me money. Most things in life that I need, I can get just by asking for them. Maybe I'm just lucky like that. The sad fact of the matter is that unless you are in an environment that is actively judging your stories you probably won't take the time out of your day to tell them when cutting to the chase will get the same outcome.

There are, however, some things in life that are best served by telling stories. Getting to know someone over a cup of coffee would be pretty boring if all you were doing was tossing your stats back and forth. Unwinding at the bar would be pretty pointless if all you and your friends did was compare DayRunners. Getting a child to sleep at night usually involved more than explaining the benefits of a good night's sleep. Fortunately, we have this great thing called "life" that requires more than just cutting to the chase and gives us plenty of storytelling practice every day.