Think Like a Freak

by Steven D. Levitt

It is a testament to the power of storytelling that even stories that aren’t true can be so persuasive. That said, we encourage you to use as generous a portion of the truth as possible in your attempts to persuade. Why are stories so valuable? One reason is that a story exerts a power beyond the obvious. The whole is so much greater than the sum of the parts—the facts, the events, the context—that a story creates a deep resonance. Stories also appeal to the narcissist in all of us. As a story unspools, with its cast of characters moving through time and making decisions, we inevitably put ourselves in their shoes. Yes, I would have done that too! or No no no, I never would have made that decision! Perhaps the best reason to tell stories is simply that they capture our attention and are therefore good at teaching.