Revised Philosophy

Philosophy of Storytelling 

Story telling is an art form. A story, generally assumed to be composed of text, can be so much more than words, and may even contain not a single word. A story can be told vocally by a parent, with a children's story book in hand before bed time, just as it can be told completely silently by a complete stranger, with a very particular kind of pained expression in her eyes the instant just before she averts them.  

I believe a true story is never accurate.  I don’t think accuracy can be a condition of a story whatsoever.  Stories draw strongly upon the significance of memories, which are essentially the stories of our minds, based upon unique experiences. Memories are not accurate or inaccurate; they simply are. One can neither perceive nor tell a story without forming associations, whether consciously or not, with his/her past or present experiences and the thoughts and emotions that go along with them. A story of romantic connection might be alluring and hopeful to a person in love, while it is frustrating and depressing to one who recently lost the feeling.

The manner of expression of a story highly influences its meaning. The "same story" can be told by two different people with different intentions and beliefs, which greatly affect the way it is passed along. Something as seemingly subtle as one’s breathing patterns can be just as telling, if not more so, than the words spoken. 

Furthermore, a story is told not only through explanation, but through representation.  “A picture is worth a thousand words” is one of those cliched truths I can’t seem to detach myself from, particularly in terms of photography, a visual form of representation.  Capturing the tones of grey in an abandoned school building may be the only way to capture the meaning one gleans from a particular moment, the thought of whatever lies behind those decrepit cement walls, and  the feelings they evoke.

The particular course of a narrative depends on the memories, thoughts, feelings, and associations of the teller just as it does on those of the listener. As a story's perception is affected by the personality of the listener, a true story cannot be told without containing some part of the person who tells it. This, I believe, is beautiful, in that storytelling is a large part of human connection. The meaning found in a story is just as dependent on the story teller as it is on the listener, and the two have an almost symbiotic relationship in this way.