Why do we watch movies? - StoryBrain

The first introductory video to StoryBrain, presenting the theory of The Fundamental Purpose of Storytelling.

Media used from Google Images, Wikipedia, Time Magazine and other marked sources. Short illustrative clips from youtube videos by E30bimmerkid325 and andrewcricha.

[Elusive_Reclusive]

I really love your channel. Interesting topics, and I like how you strip the concept down to it's bare essentials, then build it back up. 

[HxHDRA]

Simply Amazing
Lessons: 1. Finding out your core goal makes coming up with different and more effective methods easier
2. We tell stories to get feelings we don't get enough of irl.

[JuanPaulFilms]

You're the channle I've been looking for! You're vidoes are amazing. SUBSCRIBED!

[lillpelle]

Yes, but (supposedly) the purpose of creation myths is basically death denial. In social psychology, terror management theory (TMT) proposes a basic psychological conflict that results from having a desire to live but realizing that death is inevitable. This conflict produces terror, and is believed to be unique to human beings. Moreover, the solution to the conflict is also generally unique to humans: culture. According to TMT, cultures are symbolic systems that act to provide life with meaning and value. Cultural values therefore serve to manage the terror of death by providing life with meaning.

[kevinmorte]

I'm feeling like watching this entire show of yours (or videos) expanding on this knowledge we seem to strive for... Why would we want that? any purpose? is it a particular one (with some kind of characteristics) or just any? etc... Interesting!

[MarkFilipAnthony]

I think: "Experience" is the word you're looking for

[patrickboltze]

Isn't the purpose of storytelling much rather to give everything meaning so that it does not seem as random and contingent anymore as it does in reality? And that gives people a good. esp. secure, feeling, I suppose.

[GRAYPORTfilm]

I discovered your channel recently, and have really enjoyed the content... but I have to say you're wrong here. Simply getting good feelings doesn't explain the action of storytelling. Storytelling defines humanity... after all we crawled out of caves, and told stories around campfires. When you consider that inventing language and creating the complex structure of a story starting from absolutely nothing is a heck of a lot of work compared to many things that are much easier for cavemen to do to get good feelings (eat, masturbate, etc.) then clearly telling stories can't be just about feeling good. Rather language was invented in order to pass on information from one generation to the next, so that each new human didn't have to learn by trial and error what was good and bad. But simply using language to say "hey, don't run away from your parents kids, that's bad" or "boys become men when they are brave and defend the village" doesn't impress anyone because our brains remember emotions and personal experiences far more than platitudes told to us by bossy adults. Thus STORY was invented in order to seamlessly teach the facts, morals and values that were beneficial for young humans to learn from the older humans, wrapped within an emotionally powerful, "experiential" structure. Story was created so that the audience could imagine themselves in the hero's shoes, to "experience" the life lessons, and to feel the emotions calculated in the story in order to adopt the new belief from the elders. This is why every great story has a theme, a moral and a purpose, and every bad story may "feel good" in some moments but ultimately leaves us empty and unsatisfied. Were the purpose of story purely about getting "good feelings" and nothing else, we'd enjoy stories with no conflict or purpose. But instead, we scorn stories with nothing of substance to say... it's one of the biggest critique of modern Hollywood movies that they attempt to supply constant spectacle and good feelings, but lack any underlying meaning or message. Great stories only work when they have an underlying message for the audience, regardless of whether it feels good or doesn't feel good. Some of the greatest stories ever created are downright heartbreaking (Romeo & Juliet) but their message is powerful and has enormous meaning and purpose for each generation to learn. And THAT is the purposes of storytelling... because without "living through" the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, and crying real tears over the senselessness of prejudice shown in it's plot, that lesson would be lost on people unless they personally had something horrible happen to them due to prejudice. A powerful story changes our mind about things, and gives us greater wisdom... not just "good feelings."