Narrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events

by Robert J. Shiller

A man is always a teller of tales, he lives surrounded by his stories and the stories of others, he sees everything that happens to him through them; and he tries to live his life as if he were recounting it.

Sartre

some have suggested that stories distinguish humans from animals, and even that our species be called Homo narrans (Fisher, 1984), Homo narrator (Gould, 1994), or Homo narrativus (Ferrand and Weil, 2001). Might this description be more accurate than Homo sapiens (i.e., wise man)? It is more flattering to think of ourselves as Homo sapiens, but not necessarily more accurate.

Stories being fundamental to how we learn everything, and the apparent lack of wisdom we are born with, if it is ever attained (wisdom) it is through effort that doesn't appear universal. Most generally regard wisdom as rare.