We all want to understand, explain and navigate the ups and downs of our lives. We want to know how things fit together, and why. Nothing makes sense unless we can relate it to something else.

Before we developed scientific pursuit of knowledge about the natural world and discovered the laws of nature, we used stories to account for what we couldn’t fully understand, like the changing of the seasons, the weather or the origins of life. Stories helped us organize and make sense of our experiences. These symbolic frameworks gave us a chance to interpret complex ideas and events and provided a mental map for understanding the world.

Humans instinctively seek connections.

Stories passed through generations serve as a way for communities to maintain identity and continuity. Shared narratives bind individuals together. By participating in collective storytelling, we nurture belonging and solidarity.

Stories offer a way to cope with fear, uncertainty and the harshness of life. By attributing suffering, death or natural disasters to characters in our stories, we find meaning in otherwise random or painful events. Stories offer hope, redemption and explanations for life’s injustices.

Stories help establish social norms, reinforcing group identity and social order. They often embody the moral, ethical and spiritual principles important to a society.

Stories reflect the uniquely human creative impulse. Imagination, intellectual curiosity and abstract thought are unprecedented in the animal kingdom. We see that humans are not driven solely by biological instincts that benefit survival and reproduction. We can create systems of right and wrong based on shared imagination, gut feelings and empathy.

Stories, and the parent imagination, play a critical role in morality and ethics. We can imagine scenarios in which harm is done, and empathize with those who are suffering. We draw on our intuitions, imagine how we can fix the issue, then bring the story to life by developing ethical codes that guide our behavior.

Stories are not just forms of entertainment. They are a cornerstone of human culture and communication. They help us learn, connect, heal and grow, while offering a way to reflect on the past, present and future.

Whether through personal anecdotes or grand myths, stories are essential to the human experience, shaping how we understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us.