Video: “The Power of Storytelling”

This came across my Twitter feed yesterday:

Naturally I had to watch it and I’m glad I did. Beginning with a cautionary tale about two villagers who go off on a hunt, the video makes four points about the power of story. Here they are with excerpts from McKellan’s commentary:

1. Story is a vessel for information: “The villagers who listen, learn the lessons and live longer.”

2. Story creates an emotional connection: “A good story well told makes our brains simulate what if would actually be to live those events.”

3. Story displays cultural identity: “Culture can be defined as the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, a way of sharing who we are.”

4. Story is fun: “Evolution has made the three most important things in life deeply enjoyable: Fuel, sex, and survival have become cuisine, love, and stories. Each taps into a raw human desire and fulfilling them, gives us a kind of happiness hundreds of thousands of years in the making.”

There you go, straight from the mouth of Gandalf by way of Frodo Baggins, a nifty reminder about the power of story.

For the Vimeo site of the video, go here.