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Alan Mairson's avatar

"I see that you folks have become quite enamored with stories," sayeth the Lord. "You insist that 'stories are how we create meaning' and 'everyone has a story to tell' and 'people are wired for story' and as they used to sign off at The Moth: 'Have a story-worthy week!'" You revere stories, so I shall give you stories -- more than you can count. Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Kindle, Instagram, books, magazines, theater, narrative psychology & counseling, storytelling for brands and for candidates and for laundry detergent... I shall swamp you with stories the way I overwhelmed the Egyptians with the natural world they worshipped -- lice & flies & hail & locusts.... Romcoms & murder mysteries & superheroes & science fiction thrillers. You asked & you shall receive. Stories, everywhere, all the time. Have fun storming the castle!"

(I hasten to add that the Jewish story is part of who I am & I'm not sure who or where I'd be without it. But the broader culture's obsession with storytelling is not a benign one.)

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