Why do we need stories?
Long before we wrote textbooks to explain the stars, or discovered physics to define the rain, we simply had stories. Knowing how a star burns and what makes the tide turn isn’t enough for us humans. We are obsessed with the “why”. This is where mythology lives.
Every culture throughout history has developed its own rich tapestry of myths to explore and communicate ideas about the world around us. Mythology isn’t simply a collection of “lies” or “fairy tales”, but a specialised language we use to describe things that are too big for regular words.
When we tell a story of a snail saving the world, we may really be talking about the persistence of the small; the idea that even the quietest among us can make an impact, even if their gifts are different from those around them. When we hear about a Vessel that holds a memory, we could be acknowledging that our grief and our joy need a physical place to sit so they don't overwhelm us. Every person will take away their own unique interpretation, and this is what makes storytelling such a beautiful language.
But why do we need mythology today? Because the modern world is fast, loud, and often feels disposable. A story is an escape. It whisks us away to a new place and time, and teaches us things we never knew about ourselves. And when we return to our world, we may be changed because of it. A story is the difference between a cold chunk of metal, and a treasure that really means something to you.
Personally, I don't believe we ever outgrow our need for stories. No matter how much we discover about the world, or how much we unpick reality to find out what's beneath it all, at the end of the day; humans are storytellers. We've been doing it since the dawn of time, passing down legends and fables to teach our children, lighten our spirits or explain the unexplainable.
But the old myths we've grown up with can become too familiar to us; like a word that loses its meaning when you say it too many times. Sometimes we need a new tale to open our hearts again and spark something intangible within us.
Maybe you'll find that story here?
Until next time,
The Curator
