Two separate questions here:
1) Why do we continue to write and tell stories? What is it about us (our entire species) that compels us to share everything about our lives? Consider the billions of people around the world who communicate daily by written word, and read endless supplies of stories, articles, blogs, tweets, books, magazines, social pages, etc. Add to that the countless stories told, even in passing, between people in the street, on the bus, in the school hallway, on the phone, etc. Is all of this autobiography mere egotism and self-interest or is it something hidden deeper in in our genetic code?
2) Does language effectively capture meaning? Are we always able to say (or write) what we mean?
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ReplyDelete1. I believe we write and share stories with each other to learn more about ourselves as humans and how we live in a variety of ways and through many circumstances. I do not believe it is all about egotism but more of a longing to connect, relate and belong and share with our peers. Sharing stories is a way for us as people to invest in others, relate to others and learn about human dynamics in different ways
ReplyDelete2. Language is not always the perfect way to describe what we mean, but now more than ever before technology has provided us with more of a variety of outlets to express ourselves in ways that we previously could not and it also gives us the ability to share our meaning with more people than ever before. It is a personal thing if people feel that they are able to get across the meaning of what they are trying to say through language because any person who reads/hears it might have a different take on what is presented to them. For some, language is the outlet they prefer most but it is all dependent on the perspective of the viewer.
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ReplyDeleteLanguage is not as effective at painting a picture as people think. Words can have hidden or double meanings. They might just not give enough information. For example, if I were to say, "My heart is beating out of my chest," you wouldn't know why. I told you what is happening, but that doesn't give enough information. I may have just ran a mile, or I might see a girl I like. Language also is ineffective when translation comes into play. Although some might argue this has more to do with cultural differences, words also play a large part. In German, one might say “super”. In English, a more appropriate word might be “exhilarating”. We need more than just words to tell us what someone actually means.
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ReplyDeleteWe are all are taught to write and read as kids. As we develop, those reading skills go from reading the stories of authors to using the language we learn to tell our own stories. We tell stories because it is a way to express ourselves and how we feel. With this same notion of telling stories, we write because it is another platform of expressing ourselves. Every person has a different voice, and the only way of using this voice and sharing it with the world is by writing or telling stories. People want their voice to be heard and their life experiences to be shared. Everyone has a different point of view and it can be seen in the way that they write. The reason we as a species feel the need to write and share our personal stories and opinions is because it tells the world about who we and and helps us to make our mark in it.
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ReplyDeleteHuman beings are social and emotional creatures and we enjoy relating those emotions to others. throughout time we have told scary stories around the campfire or tell stories of adventure. Either to share our own emotions or create an emotion within others. Many times we tell stories to make other people feel happy or laugh that is why a comedian is a profession now and days, or why we tell jokes. We want to relate to those around us and who are close to us to bring them closer or better understand them. Then the more stories you tell a person the closer you are to said person and you share different more personal stories with them. Meaning we don't share our most personal stories with a person you just met. Only after a while of knowing that person do you share those stories, because you have grown a bond over previous stories. Once again we are social emotional creatures that love to relate to one another and a way we do that is through telling stories so that is why we tell stories.
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ReplyDelete1.) We tell stories as a way to become more social with the people around us. We reveal things about ourselves and grow closer to people in a sense. Some writers tell stories and don't share them with anyone. They do this because there is a certain charm to just sitting there and creating or observing beauty, and taking on the role as an observer for the world you are in or one you create.
ReplyDelete2.) Language is not as effective at painting a picture as people think. Words can have hidden or double meanings. They might just not give enough information. For example, if I were to say, "My heart is beating out of my chest," you wouldn't know why. I told you what is happening, but that doesn't give enough information. I may have just ran a mile, or I might see a girl I like. Language also is ineffective when translation comes into play. Although some might argue this has more to do with cultural differences, words also play a large part. In German, one might say “super”. In English, a more appropriate word might be “exhilarating”. We need more than just words to tell us what we actually mean.
We continue to write and tell stories because we have been doing it our whole lives. it is our way of expressing ourselves and our interests to other people to help each other learn about experiences or emotions that we have felt through these stories. I don't feel like it is to make ourselves sound cool or smart or adventurous, yet to tell others experiences of ourselves that help them understand who we are as people. I feel like language does not always effectively capture meaning, as some stories may require different tones of voice, different hand motions, facial expressions, and body language. Words on a paper do not always relay the whole story to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteWriting and telling stories has become a natural thing for humans to do amongst each other. The idea of sharing a story with another person can allow for others to experience and empathize with you. I share stories with others multiple times a day. I find it exciting to tell others about a funny experience that I had or witnessed just to get a good laugh or try to make someone smile. I also enjoy telling stories that maybe are more personal to my close friends to allow a stronger pathway of friendship. Telling stories that relate or are about your personal life can make others feel trustworthy and comforted. There’s something about the idea of a story that intrigues us as human beings. The thrill and angst we get when someone says “I have something to tell you!”. Whether it’s a quick story you share in the halls during passing period or the abundance of stories you share to someone whom you haven’t seen for long amounts of time, a story is a story and can be taken in many directions of imagination or reality.
ReplyDeleteThe billions of words that make up the human language will never be able to do someone’s story justice. There are so many things in the world that we are unable to form words for and explain to others. Whether it’s an indescribable feeling or breathtaking view, some things cannot be put into words to accurately describe that moment. Language can come close to capturing the meaning of a story, but I don’t think even the right words would be able to capture the true meaning of a story.
We continue to write and tell stories to keep memories alive. We tell stories to enlighten others on our lfes and also for just pure entertainment. We share stories to make ourselves feel important and make us feel capable of making others lives entertaining. I think it's something you pick up from your environment to want to sound interesting. Also in today’s society you see almost all your friend’s thoughts being shared on social media and it's an easy medium to share through because you don't directly see people's’ responses. It’s hard to put your emotions into your words and even harder when it is digital and not face to face. I think many people perceive language differently and sometimes have difficulty determining whether something is a joke or not. I think language can capture meaning efficiently if both the speaker and listener have their minds in the same place. Some people have a better understanding of language and others lack those types of skills which can lead to problems in getting your point across. Everyone’s thoughts and beliefs are different and I believe sometimes you truly can't say what you mean.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree!!!
DeleteWe tell stories so that who we are and what we have done isn’t forgotten. When you tell someone a story, you are passing on a little piece of yourself to that person and it helps to keep your memory alive. Whenever I get to know someone knew, I always share stories of my past with them because I find that they can lead to much more interesting conversation. I personally enjoy telling stories to cheer people up or lighten the mood. When someone is having a bad day I like to tell them a funny story, even if it is an embarrassing one of me. Having someone laugh at your story is a great feeling because you know that you have brightened their day in someway. Stories are told all around the world and some of the history that we know purely comes from stories that have been passed from generation to generation. Without storytelling, a lot of events would simply be lost in time. I believe that it is easier effectively capture meaning through speaking than it is to write it down. Sometimes it is hard to convey a message through writing because the tone can be unclear.
ReplyDelete1. From a young age we are surrounded by storytelling, whether it be common bedtime stories or stories that have been passed down in your family. As we get older the story telling never ends. Stories are shared about childhood or simply what you did the day before. We share these stories because they left an impression on your life and you want to share this with people. Stories are told and written down so the past experiences/lessons will not be forgotten. All storytelling is not all about yourself, telling stories is about trying to connect with those around you. Stories we share are sometimes about our own personal experiences and also our peer’s experiences.
ReplyDelete2. Language does not always effectively capture the true meaning, it depends on the author and what he/she is trying to convey. In a piece of writing you can sometimes tell the tone of the author by his/hers word choice, sentence length, etc. However, not always do you truly get the emotional connection with the author. Some authors have such clear, exquisite work that you can really understand what they are trying to say. While there are others the reader can not connect with the meaning at all. Writing is a good tool to express our feelings but sometimes the written word may need help with some form of illustration.
1) We tell stories to share with people about our experiences in life and the mistakes that are made so the people who are listening can use that information to the best of their ability. We also share our stories on blogs and social media to broaden our horizons to the people that can hear and read about our life and past experiences. And if you are telling a story to your best friend or one of your family members then it will most likely have deeper content. But if you are talking to a stranger, us human beings, tend to hold back our deeper thoughts rather than be able to talk freely.
ReplyDelete2) I think that when we are telling a story we want to capture more than just words but also the feeling that we experienced at that moment. It is very difficult to do this for many people and we usually express ourselves to people that we know very well or be hidden behind a screen to hide those who oppose our thoughts and stories. Face to face communication is defiantly harder than communicating over the phone because you aren’t looking straight at the person and don’t have to wait for their reaction. Us as humans I believe it is hard for us nowadays to express how we feel and not be afraid what people think.
We continue to write and tell stories because it’s become part of every culture. Each culture has numerous stories that get passed down from generation to generation. It’s what keeps the family alive in a way and telling your own story is what helps people get to know who you are, where you come from and what you’re all about. Even the stories you read online continue to provide an understanding of people around the world and even about their countries. Every story helps keep the memories alive. Each story you tell whether it’s about yourself, someone else or about an event that happened I think is more about self-interest whether than something hidden deeper. I say that because it seems like a lot of people write what comes to mind or write with their heart and not some intention of a hidden meaning. I don’t think language effectively captures meaning because it can be hard to say or write what you’re thinking. Like either you have a difficult time figuring out how to word what you’re going to say or you really can’t find yourself to fathom any words to say or write what you are intending on saying. I even have a hard time at times trying to find the words to say what I mean and when I can’t I end up making a fool of myself using the word “thingy” to describe something or just stuttering on my lost words. It seems like a common thing for people to not always have the things to say to describe what they mean. With so many words in our dictionary it can make it even harder to find the right word to say whether you’re going easy, short words to more difficult, longer word phrases
ReplyDeleteWe continue to write and tell stories because it’s become part of every culture. Each culture has numerous stories that get passed down from generation to generation. It’s what keeps the family alive in a way and telling your own story is what helps people get to know who you are, where you come from and what you’re all about. Even the stories you read online continue to provide an understanding of people around the world and even about their countries. Every story helps keep the memories alive. Each story you tell whether it’s about yourself, someone else or about an event that happened I think is more about self-interest whether than something hidden deeper. I say that because it seems like a lot of people write what comes to mind or write with their heart and not some intention of a hidden meaning. I don’t think language effectively captures meaning because it can be hard to say or write what you’re thinking. Like either you have a difficult time figuring out how to word what you’re going to say or you really can’t find yourself to fathom any words to say or write what you are intending on saying. I even have a hard time at times trying to find the words to say what I mean and when I can’t I end up making a fool of myself using the word “thingy” to describe something or just stuttering on my lost words. It seems like a common thing for people to not always have the things to say to describe what they mean. With so many words in our dictionary it can make it even harder to find the right word to say whether you’re going easy, short words to more difficult, longer word phrases
ReplyDeleteWe write and tell stories to remember and keep special times that have happened in our live’s alive. My hopes is that a story of mine that has or will happen in my lifetime, gets passed on for generations in my family in hopes that something I have done has impacted my family’s life so much that it’s remembered. I also believe that telling stories is about being able to connect with other people. I experience great and amazing times with my friends that we still laugh and smile about every time it’s said. I always laugh whenever I tell funny stories that have happened to my friends and I, and seeing the person I tell the story to react in a positive way is a super special thing and I believe it's pure joy when you're talking about something you love to someone else and seeing that they love it too. I believe that one of the most important things to storytelling is the emotions that come with it. When you’re telling a funny story, you usually laugh and reminisce on good times with the “you had to be there” comment. If you’re telling a sad story, there’s a chance you can cry. Showing what a story means to you through emotion is one of the biggest part of a storytelling because how it's portrayed is how the person you're telling that story to is going to remember it. Sometimes it’s hard to express what you’re feeling or meaning into words. You can’t always explain something the way you want to.There are several situations in which this is a good thing or a bad thing. When you’re talking about something good that happened to you and you say you just “can’t put into words on how I’m feeling.” When you’re fighting with someone and something comes out the wrong way when you really didn’t mean it the way that it sounded. It’s always the hardest thing when you want to say something, talking or writing, but you can’t explain it.
ReplyDelete1. Telling stories amplifies real life experiences. When you tell a story, you get to relive the experience again and again. Part of the excitement of any experience is knowing that you’ll get to tell people about it. I sometimes even find myself thinking of how I’m going to tell my friends about something as it is happening. I think that telling stories is partially selfish in that stories sometimes turn into bragging, but I think it is also partially for the entertainment of others. It feels good when you can make someone else feel good and stories can have that effect.I think that a big part about writing and telling stories from the past is that we learn from our victories and mistakes for the future.
ReplyDelete2. It is very difficult to always express exactly what we are feeling to someone else who is not feeling that same thing. You can never really know whether someone else has felt or is feeling that exact same emotion. Even simple feelings that seem relatable could be so different in others; there is no way of knowing. Many times, it is necessary to use a collection of words to describe one feeling. Even then, different words can carry different meanings from person to person depending on past experiences, memories, emotions, etc. I think that probably most, if not all, stories we tell are perceived slightly differently than how we feel about them.
1.We write and tell stories to share are ideas. Each day different events happen in are lives. They can be bad or they could be good. The stories put together are lives. We can be excited about are stories and feel the need to tell the stories. By sharing are stories it then can remind us of event that happened to us. We can relate to what others say. It helps us connect with different people. I find the closer you are with people the more depth the story can go. Weather or not you trust them or not. We have always been surrounded by stories. Books are mad into a bunch of stories. Even though they’re called books we can no them as mini stories inside.
ReplyDelete2.The English language can be hard to understand at times. Lots of words vary in meaning and understanding. It can sometimes depend on the person. Different people can have a different understanding of your stories. They can interpreted in different ways. Not every story can be captured in the way you want it to be.
I think that people use write and use stories for a variety of reasons. I think that it is a very clear way to express thoughts, feeling, and emotions in a more powerful way. Also through writing and story telling it is a way to relate and create connections to people from all around the world and of all walks of life. I also think that we do it because we want important things to be remembered and leave an impact on future generations. Also if it is leaving some sort of impact on your it is something important and should be shared. I do not think that language always captures the purest meaning. For example with poetry, though some poems can be very vague, it can have hidden meaning that apply to many different people with different backgrounds. Also because of this i dont think that we are able to write truly mean.
ReplyDeleteIf you look strongly at the way we all interact and how we develop as humans, our lives are shaped by other people’s stories. Our story is what are lives are and what we do with them, but our personalities and the way we act is mostly learned from others. When, others tell stories, even when they seem like pointless tales, we always learn something from them consciously or subconsciously. I think that storytelling goes way beyond our own self interest because even though we tell our own stories to brag or to boast about ourselves sometimes, it goes deeper than that. The stories of us are what shape others, and because of that story telling means so much more than just self-interest. The impact that others people’s stories have on us is what shapes us as people, and allows us to create our own stories.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately no, I don’t believe we can express everything we mean with words. I’m sure that everyone has had a moment where they were unable to describe a feeling that they’ve had. Sometimes when you’re upset you can’t use words to explain what you’re feeling and because of that you suffer, that's a problem a lot of people have. Some might just use the excuse, “no one understands.”, however more often the case is that people would understand better if we knew how to use words to help us. Unfortunately however, sometimes words just can't express our true meaning.
1) We tell stories to share with people about our experiences in life and the mistakes that are made so the people who are listening can use that information to the best of their ability. We also share our stories on blogs and social media to broaden our horizons to the people that can hear and read about our life and past experiences. And if you are telling a story to your best friend or one of your family members then it will most likely have deeper content. But if you are talking to a stranger, us human beings, tend to hold back our deeper thoughts rather than be able to talk freely.
ReplyDelete2) I think that when we are telling a story we want to capture more than just words but also the feeling that we experienced at that moment. It is very difficult to do this for many people and we usually express ourselves to people that we know very well or be hidden behind a screen to hide those who oppose our thoughts and stories. Face to face communication is defiantly harder than communicating over the phone because you aren’t looking straight at the person and don’t have to wait for their reaction. Us as humans I believe it is hard for us nowadays to express how we feel and not be afraid what people think.
I think that people use write and use stories for a variety of reasons. I think that it is a very clear way to express thoughts, feeling, and emotions in a more powerful way. Also through writing and story telling it is a way to relate and create connections to people from all around the world and of all walks of life. I also think that we do it because we want important things to be remembered and leave an impact on future generations. Also if it is leaving some sort of impact on your it is something important and should be shared. I do not think that language always captures the purest meaning. For example with poetry, though some poems can be very vague, it can have hidden meaning that apply to many different people with different backgrounds. Also because of this i dont think that we are able to write truly mean.
ReplyDelete1) Humans by nature are compelled to share their experiences with others, whether that is a bedtime story or a life and death story we as humans are always sharing our experiences with the ones around us. Stories are a way to express your feelings, people tell stories to teach a lesson, to brag about themselves, and sometimes just to relieve some pain. Most importantly stories shape you and the people around you. You don’t realize it but subconsciously you are shaped by the stories that people tell you. Stories are a way of remembering certain events throughout one's life and those stories will thus be passed on from generation to generation.
ReplyDelete2) Language does a very good job at capturing the true meaning of a story but it cannot always be relied about to be the backbone of the story as everyone comes from different backgrounds and some words may mean different things in different cultures. Unfortunately we are not always able to say or write what we always intend to as I expect many people have had that “ oh it’s just too hard to explain” or the “ You just won’t understand” moment as words sometimes are not strong enough to convey what you really want.
1.) I don’t believe there is a single answer as to why we continue to write and tell stories. There are so many variables that contribute to so many explanations. Perhaps one of the reasons we as a species feel the need to write or tell a story is our need to be remembered, maybe it’s the feeling of knowing that one day we will die, and we want people to know as much about us as they can so we can leave behind some kind of legacy whether that it be big or small. It could even be that sharing stories is what boosts some people’s self esteem, or gives them a sense of belonging which is where social media comes into play.
ReplyDelete2.) I feel that everything has it’s place, and we use it when we need to. Some people are better at talking than others, while some people are better at conveying what they want to say in written word where they can think things over. Other factors also come into play such as people’s interpretations of what one says. If someone were to make a sarcastic remark, their words may be taken literally by someone who doesn’t pick up on the sarcasm.
1.) I don’t believe there is a single answer as to why we continue to write and tell stories. There are so many variables that contribute to so many explanations. Perhaps one of the reasons we as a species feel the need to write or tell a story is our need to be remembered, maybe it’s the feeling of knowing that one day we will die, and we want people to know as much about us as they can so we can leave behind some kind of legacy whether that it be big or small. It could even be that sharing stories is what boosts some people’s self esteem, or gives them a sense of belonging which is where social media comes into play.
ReplyDelete2.) I feel that everything has it’s place, and we use it when we need to. Some people are better at talking than others, while some people are better at conveying what they want to say in written word where they can think things over. Other factors also come into play such as people’s interpretations of what one says. If someone were to make a sarcastic remark, their words may be taken literally by someone who doesn’t pick up on the sarcasm.
To me, stories are a way for our mind to get thoughts across either creatively or figuratively. Thoughts and ideas turn into words and sentences which go further into paragraphs and stories. We all are going through life, stumbling across obstacles and we all love to share about them in some sort of way either telling the stories or writing them down. With so many people in the world, this gives us a wide range of stories to look at from other people to either learn from, relate to, or just something fascinating to read. That is why I feel social media has become so popular. People love to share about their lives and most people like to hear about their sharings. In a way this all okay because the more stories we hear the more fascinating life becomes.
ReplyDeleteI do think language is key to a great story and capturing the true meaning. You want to make sure you use the most efficient use of adjectives and great use of sentence structure. A misinterpretation of language happens mostly with either texting or any sort of technology mostly involving social media. What someone typed might not have meant to hurt anyone else’s feelings but people might take it the wrong way. When you are actually talking to another person in person, you can hear their tone in their voice while their talking. Most importantly, you can see their body language. They can have their arms crossed, relaxed, make a strange face, etc. But I also think we are limited to what we actually want to say. Overall, language is very important to telling or writing a great story.
I believe that we write and tell stories because we have a constant urge to tell everything that has happened to us to other people or even to ourselves. For example, people love to gossip and so we text our friends or catch our friend in the hallways to explain your story. We go home and your parents ask how your day was and so you tell your story of how school went for you. We do it everyday and we might not even notice it. There may still be some people who are more reserved about their lives and keep their thoughts and feelings on paper. Some people write and tell stories for a living. It is their passion. People can also connect with other people by storytelling, but sometimes you just cannot describe to others what you mean. It is like the moment when you tell people, “I don’t have the words to explain it”.
ReplyDelete1. Although there are many reasons as to why we write and tell stories I believe that the most significant reason is human's
ReplyDeletenatural instinct to want to share stories, whether it be shared on paper or vocally. A person will tell stories in order to share something they believe was an important moment in their lives. Stories are also shared in order to leave important information about a person after they die.
2. I believe that language, if learned and spoken properly, may properly capture a person's true meaning. However, the deeper a person understands their language and vocabulary the better they will be at sharing their story.
Humans are social creatures that enjoy sharing about their experiences and learning about others’ experiences. This is evident by the incredibly large boom of social media in the past few years, where we are all connected and able to share our stories. Sharing your stories and your emotions help others relate to you and give you a better sense of community. The written word is often used to inform others and give them insight and information about what is happening to others around the world, either in the form on newspapers, magazines or online articles. Stories are not limited to any one form of communication and are very often addressed in many different forms. This is not about egotism as much as it is creating bonds with people we can share our life with. Having interesting stories or relatable ones helps to create a bond between people where they will be more inclined to assist one another in the advent of distress and hardship. Language cannot perfectly capture what we are trying to say because there is always some part of the story that is left up to the reader's imagination or interpretation.
ReplyDeletePeople love to talk, people love to talk about themselves more so that is. It’s just how we are. Sharing what we have to say is an important part of our species, we are a unique species because of our ability to communicate on such a deep level. We are however, also very interested in what other people are upto as well. Many like to get their daily dose of the celebrity tabloids, others their favorite social media stars, and some just like to read good old fashioned books that others had written for their own enjoyment. We are fascinated by others work and words.
ReplyDeleteI definitely believe that language can effectively capture meaning. While ready a well written novel, it can be quite easy to feel deep or meaningful emotions as well as the ability to imagine a scene as if it were real. Writing is a great way to express meaning, as long as it is done right.