Strong etymology The Thinking Muse | Inspiration for introverts, nerds, and smarty-pants

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus is the creator of The Thinking Muse. She is an inquisitive and straight-talking homemaker. Her favorite things include museums, astronomy, dance team, and food -both making and eating it. She is a lyrics search engine and is often baited by her family with lines from a song to get her to sing and dance around the house.

Strength etymology

About The Author

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus

Why stories are irresistible

Binge-watching.

This is now a thing. I admit I do it too. Overindulgence triggered by the need for the story’s conclusion.

Enabled by new tools such as autoplay, it now requires effort to stop the viewing. You know the laws of physics…objects in motion tend to stay in motion and objects at rest tend to stay at rest. We are just obeying the laws of physics like everything else in the universe. Is that a surprise?

Look at all the choices: podcasts, YouTube, gaming, movies, books, online streaming, and complete series DVD sets. They all lure us in with their fascinating stories. They are everywhere.

Binge-watching, also known as binge-viewing, has become so common that there have even been studies on the effect it has on us.

As covered in Newsweek.com, some doctoral students at the University of Texas completed a study that linked binge-watching with loneliness and depression. The article suggests that people binge-watch to avoid issues. Harvard School of Public Health linked prolonged television viewing to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Yikes!

These kind of statements are sure to grab headlines, but let’s just say I am skeptical. This first study only involved 316 young adults. The second article’s study is based on people who self-reported their own television viewing and the participant’s other health habits such as eating and exercise were not considered.

I am not saying the results aren’t true, but I am am curious if the “links” mean anything. Additionally, I think we have all heard news stories covering the increase of depression and anxiety in our culture. So, I would say the jury is still out on causation. I would be more apt to say a lot of these conditions are due to our culture, which does include a lot of television use.

The point is there are stories being consumed all around us, all the time. While this does have an impact on society, what I am interested in looking at for this article is the draw on the individual. Stories have the power to pull us in. So what makes stories so irresistible?

The Theory and Science of a story

Humans have been telling stories for a loooong time and they make up a large part of all our communications. There is a reason for this, stories match how we interact with the world.

A story is a form of learning or making meaning for oneself. From Jessica Davis and Howard Gardner, stories are one of many windows of learning. People have different intelligences (logical, musical, kinaesthetic, etc.) and can approach learning through different ways. Take the example of learning about a child going to the first day of school.

Narrational (Story). A story could explain the events and feelings of a child going to school.
Numerical/Quantitative. The child could be 5 years old and have a class of 20 other students with 1 teacher.
Foundational. All kids go to school which is a building where you participate in experiences that teach a child about the world.
Aesthetic. It may be scary to enter the large concrete building, but it will be fun when you make friends and feel comfortable in your stimulating classroom.
Experiential. Take a tour of the school building or create a model of the school.

You can see that if different people each experienced only one of the learning windows mentioned above, they would each have a very different kind of knowledge of what a child going to school is like. How we learn has an impact on what we learn.

How we interpret and process learning experiences is also colored by our backgrounds, culture, previous knowledge, and our wants and needs. If something is relevant and stirs the listener emotionally, it is particularly engaging. At a certain point it can transform our perceptions. As fastcompany.com explains, our fears, hopes, and values are strongly influenced.

…when communication is optimal it creates an ‘affect’ among spectators and audiences…who are then able to cross an invisible ‘threshold’ of cumulative, personal and cultural experience. Thus, the viewer is an active participant in the communication process, not a passive observer.

-Flora E. S. Kaplan in Museum, Media, Message

There is neuroscience to back this up. Another article at Fast Company discusses what happens in the brain during storytelling. fMRI images show that while watching a story, the brain acts more like it is participating in the action than merely spectating. Another example is discussed at Buffersocial where descriptions of delicious food lit up the sensory cortex of the listener. In essence, the listeners were synchronizing with the storyteller. That is amazing power.

Harvard Business Review cites neuroeconomist Paul Zak’s research. He looks at the various hormones produced during storytelling. During stressful times of the story, cortisol a stress hormone was released and during times when cute animals were involved, oxytocin, the feel good hormone. Happy endings are the best of all, releasing dopamine in the limbic system leaving us hopeful and optimistic. Another experiment showed that after a story, those with higher oxytocin were more likely to give money to a stranger.

This all makes me think twice about all those commercials showing shining happy faces using their products. I guess drinking that soda won’t bring me life fulfillment. *wink* Of course, we all know that removed from the story. But when we are in the midst of the story, it sure seems compelling.

The marketers aren’t dumb, they know the science and are using it. Just be aware of the context and where the story is coming from. It can be used to manipulate. What is being told to you may not be the truth. Yes, we all know that, but under the influence of those yummy hormones we are vulnerable.

Now we know what a story can do to us, let us look at what makes a story particularly good or engaging.

What makes a story good?

How the plot is organized matters. The framework helps understanding and also plays a huge role in what is remembered following the story. The Harvard Business Review looked at Super Bowl commercials. A study found that the commercials that used a more structured and complete story were more successful.

Freytag’s pyramid

Based on Shakespeare and ancient greek dramas, Gustav Freytag developed the dramatic structure also known as Freytag’s pyramid. The storyline should follow 5 parts.

Exposition. This sets the context with background information.
Rising action. The building events and actions to the point of interest of the story.
Climax. The turning point of the story, where the storyline changes direction.
Falling action. The actions unravel as a result of the climax.
Denouement. The resolution or revelation ending the story.

There are many opinions out there discussing the keys to a good story. I looked at a number of them and condensed them into one which I feel covers the bases pretty well.

Framework. The storyline should be organized, including a conflict and resolution.
Descriptive. Utilize all the senses possible to transport the listener to an active participant.
Emotion. Make them laugh or cry or feel something.
Relevant. Make sure the story is appropriate for the audience. They should have some frame of reference for the context and be able to see themselves in the story.
Believable. Make it feel real. Life isn’t always perfect or pretty. Include the feelings, conflicts, ugliness, and idiosyncrasies of the world.
Smart. Your audience is smart so don’t dumb it down for them.
Concise. Include items that are relevant to the story, nothing more.

That is a lot to ask for. I know that through my learning process of blogging, I am learning about how to make my writing more compelling for you. We all have places in our life where we want to communicate something to someone. Perhaps you can throw in some of these tips to help your listener engage. If not anything else, it can make you understand why you like a story, or not.

Stories

Here are some audio story resources for you. I have not listened to all of them, so listen at your own risk. I am sure you have your own personal preferences for what you enjoy.

I have linked to a website in most cases, although many of them are also available by podcast. The description of the content is their own.

Inspirational stories A list of 10 “must see” inspirational videos from lifehack.org.
Love + Radio “otherworldly-produced interviews with an eclectic range of subjects, from the seedy to the sublime”
Otherppl with Brad Listi “features in-depth, inappropriate interviews with today’s leading authors”
Porchlight: A storytelling series “people from different backgrounds to tell ten-minute true stories without using notes or memorization”
Risk! “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public”
Serial “one story – a true story – over the course of an entire season”
Snap Judgement “raw, musical brand of storytelling, daring listeners to see the world through the eyes of another”
StoryCorps: Celebrating 10 years of listening to America “provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives”
TED: Ideas worth spreading “free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other”
The Moth: True stories told live “acclaimed not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling”
The Stanford Storytelling Project “explores how we live in and through stories and, even more importantly, how to deepen our lives through our own storytelling”
Third Coast Radio Stories Galore “curates sound-rich audio stories from around the world and shares them with as many ears as possible”
This American life “It’s mostly true stories of everyday people, though not always”
True Story: A night of true tales told to friends “In living rooms, attics, and vacant lots, on rooftops and around fires, people are gathering to tell each other stories from their lives”
WireTap with Jonathan Goldstein “a mix of funny, thoughtful and unpredictable stories and conversations”

Are you a story fan?

Have you become a story fan in the last few years or did you become aware of the power of a story before the masses? Do you listen to stories on a regular basis? Let me know in the poll.

Do you have any favorites? Let me know in the comments so I can catch them.

My personal favorites are:

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke of insight

Resources

7 Simple Ways to Make a Good Story Great at writersdigest.com

Depression a Factor in Binge-Watching TV Shows from Newsweek.com

Does Binge-Watching Make Us Depressed? Good Question at NPR.com

Hein, George E. Learning in the Museum. London: Routledge, 1998. Print.

Hooper-Greenhill, Eilean. The Educational Role of the Museum. London: Routledge, 1999. Print.

Hooper-Greenhill, Eilean. Museum, Media, Message. London: Routledge, 1999. Print.

Prolonged television viewing linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death from Harvard School of Public Health

Infecting An Audience: Why Great Stories Spread at fastcompany.com

The Irresistible Power of Storytelling as a Strategic Business Tool at hbr.org

The Science Of Storytelling: How Narrative Cuts Through Distraction Like Nothing Else at fastcompany.com

The Science of Storytelling: What Listening to a Story does to our Brains at Buffersocial

Wikipedia contributors. “Dramatic structure.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Apr. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.

www.buzzfeed.com a list of storytelling resources and why you should listen

www.creativekeys.net a website of eclectic storytelling tidbits called Storytelling power

www.storyteller.net a website that has a ton of links to story resources

www.timsheppard.co.uk a website that has a ton of links to story resources

About The Author

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus

Stewardship is all around you, just take a look and then take action

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I feel like I am getting old. I like to tell myself otherwise, but somehow middle age has started to sneak up on me out of nowhere. Funny, you just don’t think it will happen to you, but it does. But thank goodness for that because think of the alternative.

Unfortunately, our society tends to focus on the negative aspects of getting old. But, there are positive aspects too, I promise. I believe the key to getting old successfully is to focus on the positive aspects.

The afternoon of life is just as full of meaning as the morning; only, its meaning and purpose are different.

-Carl Jung

Recent studies have shown that happiness increases as you age. That’s great for those of us on the not-quite-young spectrum. Those studies speak to how stressful life can be. I imagine that part of that increase in happiness is that you focus less on yourself as you age. What a relief.

You can drive yourself crazy overthinking every last detail about yourself. What you look like. What others think of you. That gray hair you found. How boring! and how insignificant.

As we age, we tend to pull back mentally to a more wholistic perspective. Considering the world and all of the life filling it. This is when we realize that we have the capacity, capability, and even responsibility to contribute.

That is the theme of the month and the topic of this article, stewardship.

What is stewardship?

The origins of the word stewardship trace back to the words for guard of the house or housekeeper. Not the owner as in the person who has possession or propriety rights. Not the resident who merely occupies the space. But the guard and keeper, the one who watches over, maintains, and protects.

The concept of stewardship can apply to many universal areas. Cultures, environments, religion, and even business practices.

In many of these spheres, there is no single owner. So whoever maintains and protects them has the power to help shape and define what is of value and what deserves protection.

Worldwide organizations, government agencies, or even local agencies tend to lead stewardship efforts. Examples might be churches, the environmental protection agency, or museums.

Cultural awareness, environmental responsibility, and other worldly issues shape our knowledge and help drive new values. Values of our individual or shared heritage and our environment. All things of value not merely in an economic sense, but in aesthetic, educational, scholarly, and culturally.

Whoever assigns the value drives the direction of efforts and therefore has a lot of power.

Museums act as stewards for the public by curating its collections to subscribe to the values and ethics they believe important to their community. So how does stewardship translate in the other spheres of our world? Let’s take a look.

Stewardship in philosophy

Philosophers have ascribed stewardship as a characteristic associated with a certain stage of life.

Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, described four archetypes or phases of life. They are the athlete, the warrior, the statesperson, and the spirit. Stewardship is an enormous part of the statesperson phase.

This state is defined by focusing on making a difference in the world and in the lives of others. One focuses on the greater good in a role of servitude.

This closely resembles Erikson’s state 7 or “middle adulthood”. This state is quite nurturing by giving attention to helping younger generations. If one feels that they haven’t accomplished anything in that regard they are stagnate.

This is all rather interesting to me. Since stewardship emerges during a specific stage of life that implies that if one doesn’t reach that stage of life they won’t acquire it. Hmmm, that kind of makes sense.

We all know people who are, for one reason or another, stuck in a certain stage of life. Of course, these stages are not concrete, one-way rites of passage. We can circle around and repeat phases and jump ahead depending on the scenario.

Regardless of how, when, or where we reach this stage, we can make a difference in the world. Aside from being relieved of thoughts of your own shortcomings or suffering, you can concern yourself with giving. Declutter your brain of what isn’t important and contemplate the meaning of life and how you can improve that life for others and future generations.

Stewardship in business

The concept of stewardship has also been applied to theory of business practices.

The stewardship theory is often discussed in contrast to agency theory. Agency theory is based on parties acting solely in their best interest which causes a lot of time and money to be spent on contracts, reviews, and incentives to ensure best results. Stewardship theory is based on a more collaborative effort where all parties share a common goal.

Just as the world is not black or white, business practices are often optimal when a medley of practices are used. It all depends on the lifecycle and situation of the business.

Stewardship practices are many times seen in family businesses. You can imagine how this would work well with the trust inherent in family interactions and a shared common vision. However, you may have problems when your unemployed cousin Vinny isn’t truly qualified for the job he’s just been given by your grandma.

That is just one example of what can happen when the person in power gets to decide on what values to preserve.

Stewardship in religion

You are probably most familiar with the term stewardship in relation to religion.

Many of you have probably heard about the head of a church preach on being good stewards. This can mean many things.

Of course the obvious one is generosity with money or tithe to the church. This is just part of the belief. One is often expected to give generously with time and talents as well.

Really, it all boils down to the belief that we, as humans, don’t own anything. EVERYTHING belongs to God and all of our resources should be used in his name and the common good. In turn for your stewardship of these resources, you gain solidarity.

Stewardship in culture

Just as philosophers defined aspects that come to the forefront during different stages of life so have ancient cultures. Ancient Indian texts and Ancient Greek knowledge also address stages of life. This is a common theme across humanity.

Regarding culture, museums act as stewards through careful curation of their collections. These collections are held in trust for the public, present and future. Museums preserve, interpret, promote, and educate. They are a resource for our communal heritage.

However, what about cultures that have limited or no access to the world that you know?

These people have no desire to be in contact with the world outside of their own. However, their land and livelihood is being taken from them. That is where organizations such as Survival International and Cultural Survival come in.

These organizations are trying to act on behalf of these tribes while not interacting with them. A challenging task indeed. However, these organizations feel that these cultures deserve their inherent human rights to determine their own futures.

These organizations are acting as stewards of these cultures who can not speak for themselves. Imagine the languages, spiritual traditions, artistic expression, and practices that they are protecting. Keeping these cultural traditions alive. What a difficult task, but amazing and very honorable.

Stewardship in environment

Last, but not least, the environment. This area has grabbed the most headlines in the past few years. Stewardship of our wonderful and fragile ecosystem and environment.

Who is ultimately responsible for our world? You and me. How do we tackle large issues like climate change, air quality, toxic and chemical safety, and clean water?

Luckily, governments and organizations such as the EPA and UNESCO are making efforts in the name of stewardship for our environment. We can provide our resources to these efforts. It is going to take everyone to make changes happen.

Actions are being taken through regulation and programming. They concern the topics of recycling, conservation, regeneration, and restoration. Results can be seen in green spaces, pollutions prevention, energy efficiency and conservation, waste minimization and management.

Essentially, we want to be as smart, efficient, and effective as possible with our use of all resources. This is easier said than done when we don’t fully understand the repercussions of our actions, but we are learning.

As stewards of our environment, we can ensure a safe place for future generations to live.

Your life

After reading about the various spheres of stewardship, I bet you now realize that you are acting as a steward. I bet you also didn’t realize the power you held in that act. Life is all about the lessons we learn along the way.

It feels nice doesn’t it? To know that you are doing good. To get your mind off yourself. Be a creative and contributing force as opposed to a destructive force.

So, here is to this month and the act of stewardship. Improving our world through service and selfless acts. If you like what you read, follow me on Twitter or send me a note.