See a photo of Patrick, his bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

Q&A with Patrick Reinsborough, Question 6

Q: If you could share just one piece of advice or wisdom about story/storytelling/ narrative with readers, what would it be?

A: It’s not just about telling better stories its about changing the stories that are already out there in the culture. As psychology and cognitive science are teaching us the art of persuasion is an art not a science and it has far less to do with objective facts then many of us have believed. Of course the facts matter but unfortunately the facts alone are not enough. That’s why it is so important to understand the role of narrative in defining social reality. The power of story is being abused everyday to justify erosions of democracy, structural violence, racism, and ecological devastation. However simultaneously stories of hope, possibility and justice are being spread every day. The more that people working for positive change understand the power of narrative and use it effectively the more successful our efforts will be. The first step in changing the world is changing the stories that shape the world.