Everything in human history comes down to stories. Everything that we do in our
lives requires a story as a starting point. We start with certain assumptions
about things using these stories so that we can understand what the world is li-
ke.
We learn stories at first from our socialization. Our parents, teachers, and fr-
iends, for example, could teach us stories so that we learn what's right and
what's wrong. These could be through religion, through fairy tales and kids boo-
ks, through the simple example of those around them, or other places. There's no
universal reason that killing is wrong, but we know that it is wrong because we
were told stories that it is wrong.
Stories also shape what is real. If the stories you're told say that killing is
right, that means that killing _actually is_ right to you, even if most of our
society would disagree. The stories we tell ourselves can change how we see the
world in massive ways. All politics are stories. The job of politicians is to
sell you on the story that they tell themselves. Fascism is a story, capitalism
is a story, communism is a story, liberalism is a story, it's all stories promi-
sing a better future for everyone in different ways. Depending on which stories
you've been told or told yourself in the past, your reaction to these stories
will be different. That's why there's no way seemingly to come up with perfect
political solutions; every orientation requires its own originating story with
which its followers form their base values and assumptions about the world. The-
se assumptions can never be proven or disproven, so we rely on having many stor-
ies to explain what's happening in the world and with society.
When we tell ourselves stories about ourselves, it's usually because of somethi-
ng that someone told us that we internalized. For example, I am often told that
I am mentally ill, and thus I internalized the story that I must be mentally
ill. While it's true I do suffer from mental disorders, this story is unhelpful
because it is judgemental and assumptuous. The story that my actions are the re-
sult of a chronic illness makes it seem impossible to ever get better. Many peo-
ple tell themselves unhelpful stories. They might be simple ones--like thinking
you're ugly or stupid--or they may be more complex and personal. It's important
that we take time to notice these stories and analyze them. What is helpful abo-
ut this story? What is not? Why do I tell myself this story, and who told it to
me first? What's a more helpful story I can tell myself to replace it? If you
assess your internalized stories like this, you can slowly improve your self im-
age and make yourself happier as well as more at peace with yourself.
Stories are not wrong or right, they simply make differnet assumptions. We shou-
ld approach people and ourselves with their stories in mind, and we should try
to work to change the stories that we tell ourselves. After all, a small change
to a fundamental belief can make a massive difference in how we see and interact
with the world.
