Stories appear coherent if its sequence of actions are well-constructed and if the relationships between the characters are logical. That, in fact, is the first criterion of a good (perhaps believable) story. We accept a story as plausible if it resonates with our view of the world. In fact most humans do not even question the plausibility of a story if it aligns with long held beliefs. They (we) have no choice but to accept what we have always taken to be true, without question, even if in fact what we believe is not true or real.

Humans have a natural tendency to relate more easily to a told story than to a stated fact. Human to human communication is primarily an exchange of stories. Through these stories, we comprehend the world beyond the accuracy of the statements that compose them. Stories allow us to constitute coherent links between events. We then evaluate those links based on our understanding of the world. For example, people like Donald Trump tell stories that allow his supporters to understand the world by connecting it to their knowledge, experiences and identities.

I love to tell stories, but even more than that, I love to dig into the truth behind a story and uncover the facts, as best as they can be known. This is how I know that climate change is real, gravity exists and the universe continues to expand. It doesn’t matter if the facts of a story are real if the reader/listener believes them to be true. It is my opinion that we should enjoy stories but we should embrace fact.

It is better to adapt to a changing world than to feel powerless to affect change beyond our control.

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