Well, I found the answer in a book called, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years."
The book is an autobiography of Donald Miller. He chronicles his life by showing us how he learned to live a better story. Look at what he says in the first paragraph of Chapter 13: A Character Is What He Does:
"Once I understood the power of story in my personal life, I wanted to know more about how to create a good one. I was getting up a little earlier, and interestingly enough, I was going to fewer movies. In a way, I'd started a new story about trying to find a story, and so I didn't need to escape my boring life anymore. I was a character who wanted something, and well, that's half the battle."
How often do we use media as an escape or to live vicariously? Almost every form of media has become expert at capturing stories, or beginning them so the viewer has a need to come back to finish the story. For example, twitter may just seem to be status updates, but after compiling the updates of one year, a person may have a small book which, disconnected though it may be, is a small piece of their life experience. Even 5 second 'vines' have the essence of a story.
So, some questions for you:
What story are you living?
What stories keep you coming back?
Why does a story hold such a powerful pull?
Excellent insight. :)
ReplyDeleteThat last question is one I've often pondered quite a bit.
Also, I need to find a way to get more of the same type of thing that got him getting up earlier; a sort of urgent and important quest. (I've got many of them, but due much to complex philosophies, have difficutly having powerfully ugent ones; I'm a little too at ease in some ways I think.)