Hi Everyone, So - our last blog. I have really enjoyed this class so far, and was captivated by how storytelling is a completely inborn characteristic to humans.
Since I am pursuing a career as a Physicians Assistant, I knew I wanted to incorporate my research project into that profession- how can it benefit, or teach me something that will help me in my future. Upon meeting with professor Jeffreys, I decided upon the initial meeting between a doctor and a patient. The patient history is such a vital component of a patients health care plan- and furthermore, helps establish an understanding between the doctor and the patient.
To me, storytelling fits in perfectly! When obtaining a patient history, we are essentially documenting a personal narrative. This was a perfect research project for me because it completely encompasses both of my disciplines. Obtaining a personal narrative is Human Communication, and the reasoning behind obtaining the history is for the perpetuation of the patients health- Biology.
While doing my research it was simple to find articles that pertained to my project- human communication and biology work in correlation with one another in a health care setting. Also, I was very intrigued to see that other disciplines made their way into my research as well. An article pertaining to Ancient Chinese and Eastern Indian Civilizations utilizing pictures to help spread knowledge regarding inoculations, and even an article about how the use of storytelling to communicate with Alzheimer's, or Amnesia patients- could be found in Anthropology or Sociology disciplines.
So the whole point of my research project is to show how storytelling benefits the communication between a health care worker and a patient.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
12th Blog!!!!
"the future will see an intensification, even a perfection, of what draws us to fiction in the first place." Blog about what you think he means by that statement. Then tell us your own thoughts on the future of story and storytelling. Finally, update us on your research project progress.
What I think Gottschall meant by his aforementioned statement is that, fiction takes us to place we long to be in. It allows us to interact, see, laugh, or cry with situations and people that are not relevant in our real world life. There is no way real life could compete with a fictional life, as exemplified with interactions like LARPing or gaming experiences like MORPEGS. We are drawn into fiction because we can be anyone we want to be in the fictional world. The intensification and perfection of it that I see- is that is will be more interactive, we can actually be a part of the fiction....but hopefully not to the extent of "feelies"- That just seems like a can of worms that should not be opened.
I believe the future of story will carry on and evolve- It will always keep up with technology, because I think technology and story have a symbiotic relationship. Gottschall wrote that, "Story evolves. Like a biological organism, it continuously adapts itself to the demands of its environment." (180) I think what the future may bring pertaining to stories is going to be pretty much the same. Stories alaways seem to fit the same template, however the delivery system is going to be amazing. I could see it dominating our real life. I think people should focus more on their story, in the real world, and less on the make believe life. Yesterday my brother and I had a discussion about how in our lives, we are the main character of our story of life. Story is not going anywhere. Story and storytelling It is one of the characteristics that makes us human.
My research progress is good. I am getting close to a final draft. Through storytelling and personal narratives an accurate patient history can be taken. When a patient feels that they have been heard they are more confident in their care taker, they will worry less and their stress levels will decrease. Using storytelling in a medical setting not only helps the patient feel more secure, but also enables the doctor, PA, nurse, etc. to be better care takers.
What I think Gottschall meant by his aforementioned statement is that, fiction takes us to place we long to be in. It allows us to interact, see, laugh, or cry with situations and people that are not relevant in our real world life. There is no way real life could compete with a fictional life, as exemplified with interactions like LARPing or gaming experiences like MORPEGS. We are drawn into fiction because we can be anyone we want to be in the fictional world. The intensification and perfection of it that I see- is that is will be more interactive, we can actually be a part of the fiction....but hopefully not to the extent of "feelies"- That just seems like a can of worms that should not be opened.
I believe the future of story will carry on and evolve- It will always keep up with technology, because I think technology and story have a symbiotic relationship. Gottschall wrote that, "Story evolves. Like a biological organism, it continuously adapts itself to the demands of its environment." (180) I think what the future may bring pertaining to stories is going to be pretty much the same. Stories alaways seem to fit the same template, however the delivery system is going to be amazing. I could see it dominating our real life. I think people should focus more on their story, in the real world, and less on the make believe life. Yesterday my brother and I had a discussion about how in our lives, we are the main character of our story of life. Story is not going anywhere. Story and storytelling It is one of the characteristics that makes us human.
My research progress is good. I am getting close to a final draft. Through storytelling and personal narratives an accurate patient history can be taken. When a patient feels that they have been heard they are more confident in their care taker, they will worry less and their stress levels will decrease. Using storytelling in a medical setting not only helps the patient feel more secure, but also enables the doctor, PA, nurse, etc. to be better care takers.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Blog 11!!!!
Is anyone else kind of sad that we only have one more reading left? Well, regarding Professor Jeffreys question, is it possible to write a genuinely honest memoir or autobiography, and why or why not?
I say yes. I side yes because, the memoir will be honest to the author. The works will be a recollection of life as they perceived it, so thats being truthful...right? On page 69 of The Storytelling Animal, Gottschall writes, " the future is a probabilistic simulation we run in our heads in order to help shape the world we want to live in.The past, unlike the future, has actually happened. But the past, as represented in our minds, is a mental simulation too." Gottschall continues on writing that our memories are merely reconstructions, they are by no means precise. This is agreeable. If the opposite were the case, my siblings and I would all remember the same exact things about events growing up- and that would take all the fun out of get togethers! Furthermore, we want to be heroes of our own epics! Our life is an epic! if it wasn't, we would all be moping around depressed. Life wouldn't be worth living, and stories would not be worth telling. In an article I found using Summons, ( which I LOVE by the way), titled- Memory and Self, the author Martin A. Conway writes, "The Self-Memory System (SMS) is a conceptual framework that emphasizes the interconnectedness of self and memory. Within this framework memory is viewed as the data base of the self. The self is conceived as a complex set of active goals and associated self-images." Our memory is who we are- it is where we came from, and kind of dictates where we are going to go. So, Dr.Jeffreys, I know other classmates are going to say, "no! memoirs and autobiographies cannot be truthful!" But I say, as long as your being truthful to you and your story- who to say it isn't genuine?
Next question- how are Gottschall's compelling arguments in this chapter about how we shape our own life stories possibly at odds with his claim that stories are for simulating tricky situations
Hmmm.....very good question...... Im thinking........ok, bear with me its late. I think we can all agree to some extent that stories do help prepare us for potentially sticky, tricky situations- But- if we are masters of our memoirs and we shape our own life stories, why would we even have the tricky situations in the first place? Thats my take of the conundrum of life stories vs. preparatory story. For example, when Gottschall writes, "the past , like the future, does not really exist"(169) that completely contradicts what has been said in previous chapters regarding storytelling for preparation. Why would we need to prepare for something that doesn't even exist?
give us the latest report on how your project research is going, including source citations and comments about them. My research is chugging along- I really appreciated the comments from last post, they helped me look at my research project from different angles. So thank you, all who commented.
Heres just a couple source citations-
I say yes. I side yes because, the memoir will be honest to the author. The works will be a recollection of life as they perceived it, so thats being truthful...right? On page 69 of The Storytelling Animal, Gottschall writes, " the future is a probabilistic simulation we run in our heads in order to help shape the world we want to live in.The past, unlike the future, has actually happened. But the past, as represented in our minds, is a mental simulation too." Gottschall continues on writing that our memories are merely reconstructions, they are by no means precise. This is agreeable. If the opposite were the case, my siblings and I would all remember the same exact things about events growing up- and that would take all the fun out of get togethers! Furthermore, we want to be heroes of our own epics! Our life is an epic! if it wasn't, we would all be moping around depressed. Life wouldn't be worth living, and stories would not be worth telling. In an article I found using Summons, ( which I LOVE by the way), titled- Memory and Self, the author Martin A. Conway writes, "The Self-Memory System (SMS) is a conceptual framework that emphasizes the interconnectedness of self and memory. Within this framework memory is viewed as the data base of the self. The self is conceived as a complex set of active goals and associated self-images." Our memory is who we are- it is where we came from, and kind of dictates where we are going to go. So, Dr.Jeffreys, I know other classmates are going to say, "no! memoirs and autobiographies cannot be truthful!" But I say, as long as your being truthful to you and your story- who to say it isn't genuine?
Next question- how are Gottschall's compelling arguments in this chapter about how we shape our own life stories possibly at odds with his claim that stories are for simulating tricky situations
Hmmm.....very good question...... Im thinking........ok, bear with me its late. I think we can all agree to some extent that stories do help prepare us for potentially sticky, tricky situations- But- if we are masters of our memoirs and we shape our own life stories, why would we even have the tricky situations in the first place? Thats my take of the conundrum of life stories vs. preparatory story. For example, when Gottschall writes, "the past , like the future, does not really exist"(169) that completely contradicts what has been said in previous chapters regarding storytelling for preparation. Why would we need to prepare for something that doesn't even exist?
give us the latest report on how your project research is going, including source citations and comments about them. My research is chugging along- I really appreciated the comments from last post, they helped me look at my research project from different angles. So thank you, all who commented.
Heres just a couple source citations-
Astell, Arlene J. "Storytelling as a Model of Conversation for People With Dementia and Caregivers." American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias 26.7 (2011): 535-41. Summon. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. The article discusses how storytelling is an important method for communication for people of all ages. It allows us to experience opportunities to discuss topics,reveal information, and connect on a level that we would otherwise not get a chance to with people. Story telling is very important with elderly people and patients with Alzheimer's and other Dementias. Storytelling allows them to communicate with their care giver and, if the care giver is listening thoughtfully- provide valuable information on the status of the patients health. This article is valid in my research because it shows me that storytelling can make the communication process more comfortable, a valuable aspect of the patient doctor communication exchange.
Feddock, C. A., P. D. Bailey, C. H. Griffith, M. J. Lineberry, and J. F. Wilson. "Is Time Spent With the Physician Associated With Parent Dissatisfaction Due to Long Waiting Times?" Evaluation & the Health Professions 33.2 (2010): 216-25. Print. Dissatisfaction during a patient visit is not always the fault of the physician. Patients need to be understanding as well that waiting is very well a possibility before seeing a doctor. This article showed me that wait times associated before seeing a doctor decrease the satisfaction of the patient after seeing a physician. I see this as not necessarily the doctors downfall. I think to establish a very productive relationship with a patient, the patient needs to be understanding as well. However, according to the article, "More time spent with the physician was positively related to satisfaction independent of wait times. Furthermore, among clinic visits with long wait times, more time with the physician showed a relatively strong positive relationship with parent satisfaction." I am starting to see more that though the patient doctor interaction is a two way street, the physician needs to be the overall leader of the interaction.
Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. Print.
Conway, Martin A. "Memory and the Self☆." Journal of Memory and Language 53.4 (2005): 594-628. Print.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Blog 10, More Research!!!
With the help of Professor Jeffreys I have decided to further research the initial meetings between caregivers and patients. I want to know how substantial it is towards the patients overall health. I want to know how to make the first meeting the most effective and efficient as possible.
Bertakis, Klea D. "The Influence of Gender on the Doctor–patient Interaction☆." Patient Education and Counseling 76.3 (2009): 356-60. Print. The paper discusses the research focused on gender issue in a healthcare setting. Is the treatment from a certain sex better than the other? According to the research there are significant differences between the care style of doctors that are men and doctors that are women. According to the research, Female doctors provide more preventive services and psychosocial counseling; male doctors spend more time on technical practice behaviors, such as medical history taking and physical examination. The patients of female doctors are more satisfied, even after adjusting for patient characteristics and physician practice style." The take home point from this research, Doctor and patient gender can impact the physician–patient interaction and its outcomes.
Feddock, C. A., P. D. Bailey, C. H. Griffith, M. J. Lineberry, and J. F. Wilson. "Is Time Spent With the Physician Associated With Parent Dissatisfaction Due to Long Waiting Times?" Evaluation & the Health Professions 33.2 (2010): 216-25. Print. Dissatisfaction during a patient visit is not always the fault of the physician. Patients need to be understanding as well that waiting is very well a possibility before seeing a doctor. This article showed me that wait times associated before seeing a doctor decrease the satisfaction of the patient after seeing a physician. I see this as not necessarily the doctors downfall. I think to establish a very productive relationship with a patient, the patient needs to be understanding as well. However, according to the article, "More time spent with the physician was positively related to satisfaction independent of wait times. Furthermore, among clinic visits with long wait times, more time with the physician showed a relatively strong positive relationship with parent satisfaction." I am starting to see more that though the patient doctor interaction is a two way street, the physician needs to be the overall leader of the interaction.
Gray, Denis Pereira, Richard Baker, Arch G. Mainous Iii, and Margaret M. Love. "Exploration of the Relationship between Continuity, Trust in Regular Doctors and Patient Satisfaction with Consultations with Family Doctors." Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 21.1 (2003): 27-32. Print. The research in this article highlights that after trust has been established between the doctor and patient, and the patient feels confident in the doctor- the patient will become a return/continual patient of the doctor. For the trust to be established, a patient needs to feel like they have been heard and fully understood. From the article, "Consulting the regular doctor, trust and satisfaction with consultations are associated, and patients who consult a doctor they trust report the highest levels of satisfaction with consultations."
Jagosh, Justin, Joseph Donald Boudreau, Yvonne Steinert, Mary Ellen MacDonald, and Lois Ingram. "The Importance of Physician Listening from the Patients’ Perspective: Enhancing Diagnosis, Healing, and the Doctor–patient Relationship." Patient Education and Counseling (2011): n. pag. Print. The topic of patient doctor communication is discussed in this research- but from the perspective of the patient. Elucidating the multiple functions of listening in the clinical encounter from patient perspectives can assist physicians in improving their listening approach." Patients from the study are often quoted throughout the research- and the input they provide is extremely valuable to me in my continuing research. One particular quote was important to me- “They should trust the person in front of them and hear what they’re saying…because I know my body better than anybody else, so I know what to expect and I know how to deal with the little aches and pains, and if the little aches and pains don’t go away, then it's not just about aging or stress, momentary situations…something is wrong, I just feel something is wrong and I think doctors should listen and investigate.” As the physician we are the professionals- but realistically- if we just listen to the patient, they will tell us what is wrong.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Blog 9 INKY PEEPS
Ink people definitely have an incredible influence on the world. Gottschall brings up a very noteworthy example, "peoples deepest moral beliefs and values are modified by the fiction they consume. For example, fictional portrayals of members of different races affect how we view out-groups."(151) I don't think the majority of Germans really had a problem with Jewish people until Hitler produced all his propaganda. Through fiction and the written word, Hitler caused the death of 60 million people. I'd say his fiction changed the world.
I also think that in the case of the Holocaust, and the American Civil War, tensions and beliefs were building, and literary works that were released just exemplified what people already felt/knew to an extent. Somerset Maugham nailed it when he said that, " fiction writers mix the powdery (the medicine) of a message with the sugary jam of storytelling." (151)
Ink people and their stories affect us emotionally. A fictional Great White Shark hurt the economy of coastal towns, and a movie called, Birth of a Nation, brought the KKK back after it was pretty much eradicated. Do you think these things would have happened if ink people didn't influence it? I am siding with Gottschall on this one, I absolutely think that ink people change the world.
My presentation research is coming along pretty steadily. I am researching all the ins and outs of diagnostic procedures, how they influence the relationship of the caregiver and the patient, and the subsequent effects it can have on the patients overall health care. I am currently thinking of questions that could be asked when I interview Physicians Assistants. If any of you have any input regarding when you meet with doctors, or PA's, or things you like/dislike about initial meetings with care takers- your input is really valuable to me. I really like peoples personal stories, it gives me perspectives I cannot realize on my own. :)
Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. [New York]: Mariner, 2013. Print.
I also think that in the case of the Holocaust, and the American Civil War, tensions and beliefs were building, and literary works that were released just exemplified what people already felt/knew to an extent. Somerset Maugham nailed it when he said that, " fiction writers mix the powdery (the medicine) of a message with the sugary jam of storytelling." (151)
Ink people and their stories affect us emotionally. A fictional Great White Shark hurt the economy of coastal towns, and a movie called, Birth of a Nation, brought the KKK back after it was pretty much eradicated. Do you think these things would have happened if ink people didn't influence it? I am siding with Gottschall on this one, I absolutely think that ink people change the world.
My presentation research is coming along pretty steadily. I am researching all the ins and outs of diagnostic procedures, how they influence the relationship of the caregiver and the patient, and the subsequent effects it can have on the patients overall health care. I am currently thinking of questions that could be asked when I interview Physicians Assistants. If any of you have any input regarding when you meet with doctors, or PA's, or things you like/dislike about initial meetings with care takers- your input is really valuable to me. I really like peoples personal stories, it gives me perspectives I cannot realize on my own. :)
Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. [New York]: Mariner, 2013. Print.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
The Moral of the Story
Our reading assignment this week, "The Moral of Story", was particularly interesting to me personally. I am constantly thinking about religion and spirituality in my own personal life, so to see it spun into the fabric of storytelling was fascinating. Furthermore, that religion is but a way for communities to be bonded in beliefs, and even more- morality, is a very obvious and interesting concept. Gottschall states that, "for a society to function properly, people have to believe in justice. They have to believe that there are rewards for doing right, and punishments for doing wrong."(135) It has been apparent through past chapters that fiction reinforces behaviors, possibly even allowing those who partake in it to be more prepared to handle social situations. It would make sense that one who regularly reads their designated holy books would have a greater grasp on morality and life. However, I can't stop thinking about a sentence in the chapter- do humans really just, "invent gods to give order and meaning to existence?"(120) Is religion just a confabulation because there is so much unknown? In the previous chapter we discussed how the mind doesn't like to leave voids, instead- fills in gaps so we don't leave things unexplained. Obviously religion, and its stories, perpetuate empathy and morality. So is morality and empathy an evolutionary necessity or by-product? *This could be an interesting research topic encompassing both biology and human communication.
Through the use of story- morality is continued and reinforced, and further strengthened and engrained into humanity as a culture. Biologically speaking, when practicing morality and empathy, what endorphins or hormones are being released- and do these chemicals preserve a species? When discussed together we have a chicken or egg concept. Does morality and empathy perpetuate our species, or is it a by product of being a "group" species.
Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. Print.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Blog 7 Summon Research
I am concurrently taking INTS 4900, and have come to a conclusion on the direction I want to take my research. I will be further researching the ins and outs, along with the positive and negative outcomes of diagnosing. ( I will be attending graduate school to obtain a Masters as a Physician Assistant after I graduate from DSU). I feel through experience, opinions of others, and the research that I have done so far that there is room for improvement in the patient doctor relationship. Furthermore, since the initial meeting of a patient with their health care provider is the foundation towards a successful care plan, I have a personal interest in this topic.
I have used the DSU library website so much through my academic career here at DSU- but now using Summon- OH MY GOSH. Summon is my new favorite tool- AND if you haven't given your input on keeping it yet at the library's site- DO IT NOW!!! Here is some of my research all found through Summon.
- My emphasis are Biology/Human Comm. - you will see a very definite use of both in the research I have found. :)
Astell, Arlene J. "Storytelling as a Model of Conversation for People With Dementia and Caregivers." American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias 26.7 (2011): 535-41. Summon. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. The article discusses how storytelling is an important method for communication for people of all ages. It allows us to experience opportunities to discuss topics,reveal information, and connect on a level that we would otherwise not get a chance to with people. Story telling is very important with elderly people and patients with Alzheimer's and other Dementias. Storytelling allows them to communicate with their care giver and, if the care giver is listening thoughtfully- provide valuable information on the status of the patients health. This article is valid in my research because it shows me that storytelling can make the communication process more comfortable, a valuable aspect of the patient doctor communication exchange.
Bertakis, Klea D. "The Influence of Gender on the Doctor–patient Interaction☆." Patient Education and Counseling 76.3 (2009): 356-60. Print. The paper discusses the research focused on gender issue in a healthcare setting. Is the treatment from a certain sex better than the other? According to the research there are significant differences between the care style of doctors that are men and doctors that are women. According to the research, Female doctors provide more preventive services and psychosocial counseling; male doctors spend more time on technical practice behaviors, such as medical history taking and physical examination. The patients of female doctors are more satisfied, even after adjusting for patient characteristics and physician practice style." The take home point from this research, Doctor and patient gender can impact the physician–patient interaction and its outcomes. Seeing as I am a female who will be in the role of a health care professional this information is important to me in my future and also relevant to my research now. It leads me to wonder overall- if patients prefer to have a more "maternal" presence to confide in. Furthermore, are women easier to communicate with.
Davenport, Nancy H.M. "Medical Residents’ Use of Narrative Templates in Storytelling and Diagnosis." Social Science & Medicine 73.6 (2011): 873-81. Print. Storytelling is taught during the residencies of medical students in the United States. Students are taught templates in which to help categorize and diagnose a patient and/or their disease. The use of the templates prepares the students to know what trajectory to take pertaining to the way a patients story plays out. According to the article, " These templates make a first organizing pass at answering, “What’s going on with this patient?” They provide the preliminary structure, the warp and weft, for building a patient story that holds together long enough to diagnose, treat, and discharge the patient." Story telling, helps the student better understand a patient while also helping the patient communicate better with the doctor- resulting in the best care plan possible. I found this research article very applicable to my topic. Medical students are being taught to use narrative templates- essentially storytelling- to help them approach an initial interaction. Naturally, patients can be scared or confused on what they are saying to the doctor- but by applying storytelling- they are able to accurately portray what they want the doctor to know, resulting in a productive care plan.
Jagosh, Justin, Joseph Donald Boudreau, Yvonne Steinert, Mary Ellen MacDonald, and Lois Ingram. "The Importance of Physician Listening from the Patients’ Perspective: Enhancing Diagnosis, Healing, and the Doctor–patient Relationship." Patient Education and Counseling (2011): n. pag. Print. The topic of patient doctor communication is discussed in this research- but from the perspective of the patient. Elucidating the multiple functions of listening in the clinical encounter from patient perspectives can assist physicians in improving their listening approach." Patients from the study are often quoted throughout the research- and the input they provide is extremely valuable to me in my continuing research. One particular quote was important to me- “They should trust the person in front of them and hear what they’re saying…because I know my body better than anybody else, so I know what to expect and I know how to deal with the little aches and pains, and if the little aches and pains don’t go away, then it's not just about aging or stress, momentary situations…something is wrong, I just feel something is wrong and I think doctors should listen and investigate.” As the physician we are the professionals- but realistically- if we just listen to the patient, they will tell us what is wrong.
I really found this article important to my research because it comes from the perspective of the patient. So many articles are dedicated to the doctors perspective of what good diagnoses are- but very few ask the patient what they think constitutes a good initial meeting. To step out of a doctors narrative and listen to a patients will produce very effective outcomes in a patients health- and that is the ultimate end goal.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
The Mind is a Storyteller
Write about the sources that you found for your reading this week. Be sure to give full citation information for them. Relate them to Gottschall's 5th chapter and to your emphases. Discuss why you chose them and how you found them.
I was very intrigued with the idea that creativity is associated with madness, or mental illness I had often wondered why some of the most notable fiction writer, artists, and poets have had a history of mental illness, and if that dysfunction-for lack of a better word- contributes to the story. I look to Google Scholar to initially seek out research, at Google Scholar you don't have to be as specific in the search engine as you would with other sites like Ebsco Host or Jstor. I simply googled "mental illness and creativity"- and found loads of scholarly articles. After reading through a few, I found this one, "Strong imagination: Madness, creativity and human nature", by Daniel Nettle, (who is also quoted in our text). In our text Lord Byron is quoted as saying, "We of the craft are crazy"(92). The article from Google Scholar caught my attention from this one statement,"The author argues that our minds evolved to give us a faithful understanding of reality, to allow us to integrate into our communities, and to help us adapt our behavior to our environment. Yet, in serious mental illness, the mind does exactly the opposite of these things." The statement is reminiscent of what we read in the last chapter of our book, but furthermore relates to "The Mind is a Storyteller." The article further examines the link between creative genius and the madness the usually accompanies it. Are people that have gone mad just trying to make sense of their world? And I became curious after reading the line, "Could it be that something about the writers life- the loneliness, the frustration, the long rambles through imagination actually triggers mental illness?"(93) - The curiosity I had was, does the mental illness cause frustration or does frustration cause mental illness? Conspirators, I feel like their frustration with people not taking them seriously would cause them to go mad.
Another section in our book that really interested me was the chapter on confabulation. Our minds need to make sense of situations- storytelling seems almost imperative for us not to go crazy. The experiment of the two ropes and the pliers was interesting. The subjects made up a story to substantiate why they came up with their idea to tie the pliers to a rope and swing it- but subconsciously they had seen a researcher swing it out of the way. Our brain cannot have gaps- it has to make sense of whats going on and Gottschall is saying storytelling is the key. I found an article through Google Scholar that discusses whether or not confabulators try to remember the things they are confabulating- or whether it is all just fiction. The article is titled, "Do confabulators really try to remember when they confabulate? A case report." The report concluded by stating, "We conclude that the memory dysfunction exhibited by our patient represents one of many manifestations of a more general underlying disorder characterized by an inability to select the cognitive process that matches the task requirements in conjunction with a compulsion to provide verbal responses."(Zanino, Barban, Caltigirone) The patients had a compulsion to provide verbal responses. Our minds need to make sense of its surroundings- it is not content having gaps. Storytelling is the glue to avoid conscious insanity.
This chapter, in fact this whole book so far- seems to have been written for my emphases'. All the facts that pertain to the brain, the disorders that are discussed, ie- confabulation, the splitting of the corpus callosum to inhibit left and right brain communication is directly biological. Furthermore, the inhibition of communication to either parts of the brain deals with communication. If you dig a little deeper this last chapter really discussed a lot of intra-personal communication.
Nettle, Daniel. "Strong Imagination: Madness, Creativity and Human Nature." PsycINFO.APA. 8 (2012): 235.
PsycINFO. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.Zannino, Gian Daniele, Francesco Barban, Carlo Caltagirone, and
Giovanni A. Carlesimo. "Do Confabulators
Really Try to Remember When They Confabulate? A Case Report." Cognitive Neuropsychology 25.6
(2008): 831-52. Print.
I was very intrigued with the idea that creativity is associated with madness, or mental illness I had often wondered why some of the most notable fiction writer, artists, and poets have had a history of mental illness, and if that dysfunction-for lack of a better word- contributes to the story. I look to Google Scholar to initially seek out research, at Google Scholar you don't have to be as specific in the search engine as you would with other sites like Ebsco Host or Jstor. I simply googled "mental illness and creativity"- and found loads of scholarly articles. After reading through a few, I found this one, "Strong imagination: Madness, creativity and human nature", by Daniel Nettle, (who is also quoted in our text). In our text Lord Byron is quoted as saying, "We of the craft are crazy"(92). The article from Google Scholar caught my attention from this one statement,"The author argues that our minds evolved to give us a faithful understanding of reality, to allow us to integrate into our communities, and to help us adapt our behavior to our environment. Yet, in serious mental illness, the mind does exactly the opposite of these things." The statement is reminiscent of what we read in the last chapter of our book, but furthermore relates to "The Mind is a Storyteller." The article further examines the link between creative genius and the madness the usually accompanies it. Are people that have gone mad just trying to make sense of their world? And I became curious after reading the line, "Could it be that something about the writers life- the loneliness, the frustration, the long rambles through imagination actually triggers mental illness?"(93) - The curiosity I had was, does the mental illness cause frustration or does frustration cause mental illness? Conspirators, I feel like their frustration with people not taking them seriously would cause them to go mad.
Another section in our book that really interested me was the chapter on confabulation. Our minds need to make sense of situations- storytelling seems almost imperative for us not to go crazy. The experiment of the two ropes and the pliers was interesting. The subjects made up a story to substantiate why they came up with their idea to tie the pliers to a rope and swing it- but subconsciously they had seen a researcher swing it out of the way. Our brain cannot have gaps- it has to make sense of whats going on and Gottschall is saying storytelling is the key. I found an article through Google Scholar that discusses whether or not confabulators try to remember the things they are confabulating- or whether it is all just fiction. The article is titled, "Do confabulators really try to remember when they confabulate? A case report." The report concluded by stating, "We conclude that the memory dysfunction exhibited by our patient represents one of many manifestations of a more general underlying disorder characterized by an inability to select the cognitive process that matches the task requirements in conjunction with a compulsion to provide verbal responses."(Zanino, Barban, Caltigirone) The patients had a compulsion to provide verbal responses. Our minds need to make sense of its surroundings- it is not content having gaps. Storytelling is the glue to avoid conscious insanity.
This chapter, in fact this whole book so far- seems to have been written for my emphases'. All the facts that pertain to the brain, the disorders that are discussed, ie- confabulation, the splitting of the corpus callosum to inhibit left and right brain communication is directly biological. Furthermore, the inhibition of communication to either parts of the brain deals with communication. If you dig a little deeper this last chapter really discussed a lot of intra-personal communication.
Nettle, Daniel. "Strong Imagination: Madness, Creativity and Human Nature." PsycINFO.APA. 8 (2012): 235.
PsycINFO. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.Zannino, Gian Daniele, Francesco Barban, Carlo Caltagirone, and
Giovanni A. Carlesimo. "Do Confabulators
Really Try to Remember When They Confabulate? A Case Report." Cognitive Neuropsychology 25.6
(2008): 831-52. Print.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Night Story
When answering what professor Jeffreys asked us to do - to compare Wiiliam Dement's, "Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives", and Gottschalls, "Trouble is the fat red thread that ties together the fantasies of pretend play, fiction, and dreams." Seems relatively simple.
The way I see it, Dement and Gottschall's phrases are a team. Dement said we are permitted to be insane each and every night of our lives- but we do this quietly and safely. Bad things, in whatever form they come, are an established part of dreams, "Dreamland is, incontestably, far more threatening than the average person's waking world" (Gottschall 82). When we dream- we are allowing our minds to play out scenarios, as Gottschall says, "giving us practice in dealing with the big dilemmas of human life"(83). But we are doing it without the reality of causing us or anyone else real harm, (unless your an elderly man with RBD).
Why is trouble so predominant in our dreams? Dreaming is the safe zone. This is where I believe Gottschalls fat red thread fits in with Dements statement. What if Dement had left out the word "insane" from his statement? "Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quiet and safe every night of our lives" - our sleep would be pretty much the same as our waking hours. Being insane in our dreams is trouble- trouble that prepares us for potential insanity in our waking lives- this is why the fat red thread is trouble. It ties insanity and extraordinary occurrences into the fabric of our ordinary lives, preparing us for what we may experience.
I find this reasoning valid. I believe we dream to prepare ourselves, I also think we tell stories when we sleep as a coping mechanism. I found an article while searching our librarie's database called, "The Function of Dreaming", by Robert Stickgold. In the article the Activation Synthesis Model proposed by Hobson and McCarley at Harvard University, is furthered questioned. In short- the Activation Synthesis Model is a theory that explains dreams as part random and part specific. Hobson and McCarley claim that dreams, their vividness, bizarreness, and relate-ability to real life- are the workings of neurophysiology and neurochemistry- and thats it. Stickgold, along with his Harvard colleague, Erin Wamsley, found that dreams are much more. According to their research- dreams are, "Far from being a random or meaningless distraction. Spontaneous cognition during states of sleep and resting wakefulness appears to serve important functions related to processing past
memories and planning for the future" (Stickgold 12).
Dreams help us plan for the future! I'm placing "plan" and "prepare" in the same category.
I find all this very interesting because, as a biology major- what is going on in the brain- how the limbic system is allowing emotions to be processed as we sleep, while our hippocampus is actively utilizing our memory is incredible. Furthermore, these physiological occurrences are happening in tandem with our inner self. Our Intra-communication- the communication processes within us is perpetuating these dreams- these simulations. This topic is a perfect integration of both biology and human communication.
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.dixie.edu/ehost/detail?vid=6&sid=4a4f98af-62d5-435f-9b5c-5c83653712ef%40sessionmgr15&hid=9&bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=aph&AN=88010423
The way I see it, Dement and Gottschall's phrases are a team. Dement said we are permitted to be insane each and every night of our lives- but we do this quietly and safely. Bad things, in whatever form they come, are an established part of dreams, "Dreamland is, incontestably, far more threatening than the average person's waking world" (Gottschall 82). When we dream- we are allowing our minds to play out scenarios, as Gottschall says, "giving us practice in dealing with the big dilemmas of human life"(83). But we are doing it without the reality of causing us or anyone else real harm, (unless your an elderly man with RBD).
Why is trouble so predominant in our dreams? Dreaming is the safe zone. This is where I believe Gottschalls fat red thread fits in with Dements statement. What if Dement had left out the word "insane" from his statement? "Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quiet and safe every night of our lives" - our sleep would be pretty much the same as our waking hours. Being insane in our dreams is trouble- trouble that prepares us for potential insanity in our waking lives- this is why the fat red thread is trouble. It ties insanity and extraordinary occurrences into the fabric of our ordinary lives, preparing us for what we may experience.
I find this reasoning valid. I believe we dream to prepare ourselves, I also think we tell stories when we sleep as a coping mechanism. I found an article while searching our librarie's database called, "The Function of Dreaming", by Robert Stickgold. In the article the Activation Synthesis Model proposed by Hobson and McCarley at Harvard University, is furthered questioned. In short- the Activation Synthesis Model is a theory that explains dreams as part random and part specific. Hobson and McCarley claim that dreams, their vividness, bizarreness, and relate-ability to real life- are the workings of neurophysiology and neurochemistry- and thats it. Stickgold, along with his Harvard colleague, Erin Wamsley, found that dreams are much more. According to their research- dreams are, "Far from being a random or meaningless distraction. Spontaneous cognition during states of sleep and resting wakefulness appears to serve important functions related to processing past
memories and planning for the future" (Stickgold 12).
Dreams help us plan for the future! I'm placing "plan" and "prepare" in the same category.
I find all this very interesting because, as a biology major- what is going on in the brain- how the limbic system is allowing emotions to be processed as we sleep, while our hippocampus is actively utilizing our memory is incredible. Furthermore, these physiological occurrences are happening in tandem with our inner self. Our Intra-communication- the communication processes within us is perpetuating these dreams- these simulations. This topic is a perfect integration of both biology and human communication.
http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.dixie.edu/ehost/detail?vid=6&sid=4a4f98af-62d5-435f-9b5c-5c83653712ef%40sessionmgr15&hid=9&bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=aph&AN=88010423
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Hell Is Story-Friendly
After reading chapter three I let it simmer in my mind for a while. After folding some laundry, and loading the dishwasher, I got online and googled random key words like, "importance of fiction, humanity and fiction, effects of fiction vs. non fiction"- and I found really interesting stuff. However, when I entered, "the importance of fiction on humanity"- an article showed up simply titled, "The Importance of Fiction", written by a blogger who goes under the name "poploser". The reason I really like this short article is because it parallels what Professor Gottschall writes in his book. I agree with Gottschall when quoting Janet Burroway in that fiction, "allows us to love, condemn, condone, hope, dread, and hate without any of the risks those feelings ordinarily involve"( 58). Gottschall compares fiction in our lives to a flight simulator used to train pilots. The more we engage in an activity, practice it, the more equipped we are when the time comes to execute it. We all know repetition and practice is important, and according to forward thinkers like Brian Boyd,Steven Pinker, and Michelle Scalise Sugiyama, "story is where people go to practice the key skills of human social life" (57).
In the blog I recommend, the author writes something very interesting, "Studies show that when we read nonfiction, we read with our shields up. We are critical and skeptical. But when we are absorbed in a story, we drop our intellectual guard. We are moved emotionally, and this seems to make us rubbery and easy to shape. This statement coordinates to what Gottschall has written regarding mirror neurons. When quoting Marco Iacoboni regarding why movies feel so authentic to us, the first two sentences by Iacoboni are, " Because mirror neurons in our brains re-create for us the distress we see on the screen. We have empathy for the fictional characters- we know how they are feeling-because we literally experience the same feelings ourselves"(61). So by engaging in fiction we are simulating social experiences and emotions, and furthering our social capabilities, " When we experience fiction, our minds are firing and wiring, honing the neural pathways that regulate our responses to real-life experiences"(65).
Both the chapter in our book and the research I found relates to both of my emphases. Regarding all the research pertaining to neural mirrors and how certain parts of our brain light up when specific stimuli is presented is all biology. The fact that while we are engaging in story while these areas light up- and that the fictional stories are furthering our abilities to handle social situations correlates to human communication.
http://poploser.org/2012/05/10/the-importance-of-fiction/
In the blog I recommend, the author writes something very interesting, "Studies show that when we read nonfiction, we read with our shields up. We are critical and skeptical. But when we are absorbed in a story, we drop our intellectual guard. We are moved emotionally, and this seems to make us rubbery and easy to shape. This statement coordinates to what Gottschall has written regarding mirror neurons. When quoting Marco Iacoboni regarding why movies feel so authentic to us, the first two sentences by Iacoboni are, " Because mirror neurons in our brains re-create for us the distress we see on the screen. We have empathy for the fictional characters- we know how they are feeling-because we literally experience the same feelings ourselves"(61). So by engaging in fiction we are simulating social experiences and emotions, and furthering our social capabilities, " When we experience fiction, our minds are firing and wiring, honing the neural pathways that regulate our responses to real-life experiences"(65).
Both the chapter in our book and the research I found relates to both of my emphases. Regarding all the research pertaining to neural mirrors and how certain parts of our brain light up when specific stimuli is presented is all biology. The fact that while we are engaging in story while these areas light up- and that the fictional stories are furthering our abilities to handle social situations correlates to human communication.
http://poploser.org/2012/05/10/the-importance-of-fiction/
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Blog 3- The Riddle of Fiction
Before reading the second chapter of Gottschalls book, what Roald Dahl said confused me- "the mind of a child is a dark wood." why would a childs mind be a dark wood? To me childs play is so innocent...or so I thought. Kids completely base storytelling around a problem, and sometimes those problems are relatively dark! Why are the Grimm tales so morbid and creepy? How did a baby falling from a tree, cradle and all -become such a sweet little song? All fiction does appear to be a dark wood. I think maybe Gottschall may be trying to tell us that storytelling is not an adaptive trait of humans, however- the material our minds make up certainly is. Good overcoming evil, and resolutions to problems, are always the themes of fairy tales, stories, and nursery rhymes. The storyteller has ingrained these values into the mind of the listener. I do not think children would imagine bad things unless they were introduced to it somehow.
Jared brought something up in his blog regarding story telling that I found very noteworthy, "From a neurological standpoint it is definitely beneficial just like any other activity that stimulates a dopamine release." Humans are an innate group species. We need to be with others, to interact with others, and to feel like we belong. When we engage with each other by telling stories of overcoming adversity, or gossip- we are interacting, we are forming bonds- and dopamine is being released in our brain. That good feeling hormone perpetuates life. It enables humans to carry on, to be happy, productive, and thrive. So I am going to contradict what I said previously, "Gottschall may be trying to tell us that storytelling is not an adaptive trait of humans". I think maybe storytelling is an adaptive trait. It is comparable to exercising, or even intercourse- they feel good, and it also perpetuates life. Storytelling has the same effects.
Jared brought something up in his blog regarding story telling that I found very noteworthy, "From a neurological standpoint it is definitely beneficial just like any other activity that stimulates a dopamine release." Humans are an innate group species. We need to be with others, to interact with others, and to feel like we belong. When we engage with each other by telling stories of overcoming adversity, or gossip- we are interacting, we are forming bonds- and dopamine is being released in our brain. That good feeling hormone perpetuates life. It enables humans to carry on, to be happy, productive, and thrive. So I am going to contradict what I said previously, "Gottschall may be trying to tell us that storytelling is not an adaptive trait of humans". I think maybe storytelling is an adaptive trait. It is comparable to exercising, or even intercourse- they feel good, and it also perpetuates life. Storytelling has the same effects.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Second Blog Response
If you were to look up the definition of storytelling on google, it simply states,"someone who tells a story." That definition is too humdrum for me. So I googled the definition of "story- "an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment." Furthermore, the part I like the best, "an account of past events in someone's life or in the evolution of something." The evolution of something.. .. the evolution of Neverland perhaps? After reading chapter two of Gottschalls book, I feel a bit more comfortable in what storytelling is. I perceive storytelling as a way for people to make sense of their world. In the Witchery of Story, on pages 10 and 11 dreaming is addressed. Researchers believe we dream all night, and when we wake, the dreaming only continues. When we daydream we are replaying scenarios of the day, things we wish we could have done differently, things we want to achieve, etc. We are constantly in an active state of dream to make sense of our reality. The chapter also mentions that we are somewhat fortune tellers. We daydream about our future, our goals, and we can very vaguely see it. Story helps us not only make sense of our lives, but allows us to envision things and set them on a road towards reality.
I don't think story is a dying art by any means, its completely thriving. Story is ubiquitous, its inescapable. And I think with the advancements in technology, storytelling is only becoming more interesting and captivating. A good example would be sports. I would have never categorized sports, or sport networks as a medium for story telling. However, for years people assumed pro wrestling was real, but recently has been classified by the CEO of WWE as "sports entertainment". The CEO is banking on the stories of each wrestler. Pitting good guy against bad guy, underdog against hero. Furthermore, in the book it mentions most, if not all sporting events structure stories to captivate the fan. By structuring stories about fighters or players, the listener gets to be an active participant in the storyline. After all, the writers are just guiding the story, but we as the listener or reader determine the details.
Neverland exists in our pre frontal cortex, the area of the brain that makes us human, makes us who we are. Since our brain is always going, and we are constantly interpreting the world as we see it- our pre frontal cortex is the part of us making sense of it all. This area along with the limbic system, paralimbic system, brain stem, and other areas of the cortex are all associated with dreaming. I think since being in Neverland means letting your mind wander and envelope itself in story, these areas of the brain would be responsible for that subconscious thinking. Alright, now that I've gotten my biological aspect of Neverland out of the way, my human communication areas would say Neverland is wherever you are. Neverland is at lunch when your talking to your sister, at school talking to your friends, in your car on the way home from a long day, and its in your home when you recount your day to your loved ones. It is apparent, and unavoidable that we all go to Neverland the second our mind is free of obligating thoughts.
I don't think story is a dying art by any means, its completely thriving. Story is ubiquitous, its inescapable. And I think with the advancements in technology, storytelling is only becoming more interesting and captivating. A good example would be sports. I would have never categorized sports, or sport networks as a medium for story telling. However, for years people assumed pro wrestling was real, but recently has been classified by the CEO of WWE as "sports entertainment". The CEO is banking on the stories of each wrestler. Pitting good guy against bad guy, underdog against hero. Furthermore, in the book it mentions most, if not all sporting events structure stories to captivate the fan. By structuring stories about fighters or players, the listener gets to be an active participant in the storyline. After all, the writers are just guiding the story, but we as the listener or reader determine the details.
Neverland exists in our pre frontal cortex, the area of the brain that makes us human, makes us who we are. Since our brain is always going, and we are constantly interpreting the world as we see it- our pre frontal cortex is the part of us making sense of it all. This area along with the limbic system, paralimbic system, brain stem, and other areas of the cortex are all associated with dreaming. I think since being in Neverland means letting your mind wander and envelope itself in story, these areas of the brain would be responsible for that subconscious thinking. Alright, now that I've gotten my biological aspect of Neverland out of the way, my human communication areas would say Neverland is wherever you are. Neverland is at lunch when your talking to your sister, at school talking to your friends, in your car on the way home from a long day, and its in your home when you recount your day to your loved ones. It is apparent, and unavoidable that we all go to Neverland the second our mind is free of obligating thoughts.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Hi,
My name is Anna Brooking and I am a senior here at DSU. I suppose you could consider me an unconventional student- I came back to college at 24. It feels amazing to be rounding out the final stretch. I have just recently applied to graduate school to continue my education and receive a masters degree as a Physician Assistant. I love people, I love to learn, I am fascinated with the moon- during a full moon I could sit and stare for hours. Dogs are my favorite animal, I love my family more than anything in this world, my younger sister is my angel here on earth. I married the perfect man for me 3 years ago, and we're not afraid of being lazy on the weekends. I am really excited about this course, Professor Jeffreys seems like a pretty good guy.
I love stories, and I love story telling. Some of my fondest memories are of my father telling us kids stories from his culture. Stories of Fijian princesses and magical sharks. My favorite comes from India, (Im half Eastern Indian), of Lord Hanuman assisting the future king Rama save his wife, Sita, from an evil abductor. I think what made my dads stories so good, was that he was so animated while telling them. The way he described what was occurring in the story played out like a movie in my mind. I believe a good story is one that paints a clear picture in the listeners mind. Relevance of the story to the listener also contributes to a good story. I felt so connected to the stories of Hanuman, because my dad made me feel like a little Indian princess. Furthermore, when a storyteller has a good cadence, or rhythm while telling the story, it's much easier to follow along. We are being told stories everyday, more than I think we even realize. Listening to a song, dreaming, day dreaming, tv, etc. A good story is one that has a beginning, middle, and end. A good story teller is one who stays on track while telling a story. Its annoying when someone is all over the place while trying to convey a story. I also think a little enthusiasm by the story teller while telling a story helps the listener feel more engaged, It makes you feel like the story is actually worth listening to. Some of my favorite types of stories are like the ones mentioned before. I love stories from my childhood. I can't wait to have children so I can pass those along to them. I truthfully love all types of stories. I love romance, horror, happy, - but not so much sad, inspiring, funny, and informative stories. I love dreaming, and day dreaming, and I especially love when my sister tells me stories about her polynesian friends getting in fights with their siblings. Those are always so funny.
I am intrigued by Jonathan Gottschal. Reading his blog and his preface sent me to the realization that story telling is part of being human. I always thought stories were associated with fiction, but the world as we know it is a story. Its someones story. So many of our ideals, traditions, motivations, have been ingrained in us by stories. Its incredible. The reviews associated with Gottschals blog just reiterated what I have written. The Atlantic Review said, "A new book explains why humans like to spin yarns—and why we’re so likely to stretch the truth when we do." I am curious to find the reasoning behind this. I am aware that doing interdisciplinary research on a topic as broad as story telling is going to be taxing, but I also personally believe it will be quite interesting. I am excited to get my book in the mail and start reading!
My name is Anna Brooking and I am a senior here at DSU. I suppose you could consider me an unconventional student- I came back to college at 24. It feels amazing to be rounding out the final stretch. I have just recently applied to graduate school to continue my education and receive a masters degree as a Physician Assistant. I love people, I love to learn, I am fascinated with the moon- during a full moon I could sit and stare for hours. Dogs are my favorite animal, I love my family more than anything in this world, my younger sister is my angel here on earth. I married the perfect man for me 3 years ago, and we're not afraid of being lazy on the weekends. I am really excited about this course, Professor Jeffreys seems like a pretty good guy.
I love stories, and I love story telling. Some of my fondest memories are of my father telling us kids stories from his culture. Stories of Fijian princesses and magical sharks. My favorite comes from India, (Im half Eastern Indian), of Lord Hanuman assisting the future king Rama save his wife, Sita, from an evil abductor. I think what made my dads stories so good, was that he was so animated while telling them. The way he described what was occurring in the story played out like a movie in my mind. I believe a good story is one that paints a clear picture in the listeners mind. Relevance of the story to the listener also contributes to a good story. I felt so connected to the stories of Hanuman, because my dad made me feel like a little Indian princess. Furthermore, when a storyteller has a good cadence, or rhythm while telling the story, it's much easier to follow along. We are being told stories everyday, more than I think we even realize. Listening to a song, dreaming, day dreaming, tv, etc. A good story is one that has a beginning, middle, and end. A good story teller is one who stays on track while telling a story. Its annoying when someone is all over the place while trying to convey a story. I also think a little enthusiasm by the story teller while telling a story helps the listener feel more engaged, It makes you feel like the story is actually worth listening to. Some of my favorite types of stories are like the ones mentioned before. I love stories from my childhood. I can't wait to have children so I can pass those along to them. I truthfully love all types of stories. I love romance, horror, happy, - but not so much sad, inspiring, funny, and informative stories. I love dreaming, and day dreaming, and I especially love when my sister tells me stories about her polynesian friends getting in fights with their siblings. Those are always so funny.
I am intrigued by Jonathan Gottschal. Reading his blog and his preface sent me to the realization that story telling is part of being human. I always thought stories were associated with fiction, but the world as we know it is a story. Its someones story. So many of our ideals, traditions, motivations, have been ingrained in us by stories. Its incredible. The reviews associated with Gottschals blog just reiterated what I have written. The Atlantic Review said, "A new book explains why humans like to spin yarns—and why we’re so likely to stretch the truth when we do." I am curious to find the reasoning behind this. I am aware that doing interdisciplinary research on a topic as broad as story telling is going to be taxing, but I also personally believe it will be quite interesting. I am excited to get my book in the mail and start reading!
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