The Story Paradox: How Our Love of Storytelling Builds Societies and Tears Them Down

Storytelling, a tradition that built human civilization, may soon destroy it

We are storytelling animals. No other tool is as essential to human civilization as stories. Countless books celebrate their virtues. But in The Story Paradox, Jonathan Gottschall argues that there is a dark side to storytelling we can no longer ignore.

Stories tend to be divisive, and they are especially good at short-circuiting rational thought. Societies succeed or fail depending on how they manage these problems. And new technologies that amplify the effects of disinformation campaigns, cultural tribalism, conspiracy theories, and fake news have made separating fact from fiction nearly impossible.

With clarity and conviction, Gottschall reveals why our biggest asset is also our greatest threat, and what, if anything, can be done. It is a call to stop asking "How we can change the world through stories?" and start asking "How can we save the world from stories?"