Video

In this video, I address which came first, storytelling, or the evolution of the human brain. Oral storytelling was the first neuro-revolution. The advent of writing was the second. We're now in the third neuro-revolution and the jury is out whether it's going to be beneficial for humankind. We have been telling stories for a long time. All we need to do is look at all the cave drawings that were done by indigenous people on nearly every continent. Were these precursors to PPT, used as teaching aids to instruct the next generation on how to hunt and survive in a dangerous world? 

In this video, I discuss a new view of human intelligence--Story Intelligence--and explore the implications for how we understand ourselves and our world. Most importantly, new research is suggesting that story may be the most defining characteristic of our species leading us to suggest a new name to replace Homo Sapiens that better describes us--Homo Narrare.

In this video, I explore the 7-fold path to using the power of your story intelligence to develop a more authentic life. In Path 1 we delve into an understanding of your storied brain and the ways that "neurons that fire together wire together" impacts memory, our notions of what's possible in our lives, and our sense of identity. In the second path, we look at the source of our stories and decode what's treasures and what's trash. In the third path, we explain how important it is for us to master our storylines in every situation. Path 4 is all about becoming an author of our stories and developing the tools to accomplish this. Path 5 is focused on authoring our most important storyline--our deep purpose and calling in life. Path 6 is all about creating a covenant with ourselves to manifest our deepest calling in our personal and professional endeavors. And Path 7 is about authoring our aspirational story and setting the stage neurally to make it possible. 

In this video, I explore the many ways we have lost touch with the power of story and how that's impacting our capacity to live authentically. In traditional cultures, the healer or shaman would help people back onto the path of wholeness by asking one of four questions: When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop taking the time to be quiet in nature? And when did you stop telling and listening to stories? They understood that story was central to our vitality. Yet, we live in a time of destorification when we have been robbed of places and time to tell and listen to stories. Rediscovering our humanness is depends on reinstating this practice in our lives to open us up to animating what is best in ourselves.

In this video, I explore how we have lost touch with the ability to share stories. It's a process I refer to as "destorification." The implications for us spiritually and psychically are enormous. There are many forces at play here. Ironically, while we have become a culture that is text-dependent, we still rely heavily on oral sharing to transfer crucial knowledge and information. Another factor in the diminishment of our sharing oral stories is our reliance on screens. Research suggests that this reliance is having a deleterious effect on us. Heavy screen users' attention spans have shrunk to under 8 seconds--a goldfish has an attention span of 9 seconds. I share how this process of destorification has been going on for generations now, blinding us to the loss of our oral culture, and propose that reigniting oral storytelling may be the antidote to much of what ails us today. 

Which came first? Our evolved brain or our capacity to tell stories? Storytelling in many respects allowed us to find social coherence as well as manage the complexities of relationships that come with large social networks. Stories also allowed us to simulate the future and anticipate consequences without having to suffer the dire consequences in real time. They essentially allow us to look before we leap, and that's why native peoples relied almost exclusively on the power of story to enable learning and shaping the behavior of the upcoming generations. Stories have also been weaponized in our current political culture, being used to paint our adversaries as less than human and not deserving of our attention or compassion. Finally, is technology changing us in ways that are not good for the human race? And can story be the antidote to this force in our culture? 

In this 25-minute talk recorded for AIB-TV in Atlanta, Richard Stone takes viewers on an overview of the 7 Powers of Story and how Story Intelligence plays an integral role in every facet of our lives.

Watch this highlight reel of the launch of our new book in collaboration with YOUTOPIAN and Simyosys.