Ira Glass, Religion And The Empathetic Power Of Storytelling

The following is an interview with Ira Glass, host of This American Life.

What is the value of telling stories?

The story is a machine for empathy. In contrast to logic or reason, a story is about emotion that gets staged over a sequence of dramatic moments, so you empathize with the characters without really thinking about it too much. It is a really powerful tool for imagining yourself in other people’s situations.