Just a generation ago, there was a tradition of storytelling. Every child grew up in its grandmother's lap, and she would captivate the child with wonderful stories. These stories had a long-lasting impact on the child.
These stories usually carried a moral value or lesson, woven into engaging narratives. They were like sugar-coated pills. Even if the medicine inside was not pleasant, the sugar coating made it enjoyable. Without realizing it, the child would swallow the bitter medicine while enjoying the sweetness.
These stories usually carried a moral value or lesson, woven into engaging narratives. They were like sugar-coated pills. Even if the medicine inside was not pleasant, the sugar coating made it enjoyable. Without realizing it, the child would swallow the bitter medicine while enjoying the sweetness.
Our brain is skilled at imitating others. And these 'others', need not be real people; they can even be fictional characters from stories. So, the true purpose of stories is to shape personality under the guise of entertainment. Here, I am talking about shaping a child's behavior as it develops.
We often speak about inner voices that guide us, when we make decisions. Based on what seems to arise from within us, we act accordingly.
I am not denying the possibility of an innate inner voice that may be unique to an individual. But in most cases, as we grow up listening to these stories, these inner voices are gradually formed over a period of time.
These stories act as conditioners of our subconscious. When a similar situation arises in real life, even without conscious choice, the brain automatically suggests the appropriate course of action.
This shaping of personality may happen by portraying the hero of an epic as an role model. The hero may be highly idealized and surreal. Similarly, by focusing on the villain, and on the suffering that results from his actions, these stories convey unacceptable traits. Whether the epic has any historical basis or not, or whether it is fictional, does not really matter.
Almost every society has such stories, that prime our thinking process, under the garb of entertainment. Yet, we often fail to recognize the importance of such stories in our mental development.
I have seen people debate the historicity of great Indian epics like Ramayana or Mahabharata. On the other hand, I have also seen modern nationalists, being absorbed in proving their historicity. But in this confusion, we forget an important aspect of these stories.
Indian epics like Ramayana or Mahabharata are filled with deliberate narration. Their portrayal is more dramatic than realistic.
The hero is always admirable in every way, and the villain is always deserving of dislike. Such portrayal may make these stories appear unrealistic and fictional. Consequently, many people make the mistake of dismissing these stories as myths.
That is where we go wrong.
In reality, these stories are more valuable for their impact on the mind than for their historical accuracy.
This is not limited to India alone. Every society in the world, regardless of its religious leaning or history, has gone through this stage.
Many modern societies have left these stories far behind. They have rejected them as religious impositions, or as mere poetic imagination, without any substance.
Fortunately, in India, many people still enjoy storytelling. Even though the source of these stories has shifted from a grandmother's lap to television screens, they still retain the potential to serve the same purpose.
But unfortunately, modernization and new technologies have begun to place more emphasis on the entertainment aspect of these stories, rather than on their real purpose. This creates a void in the personality formation of the younger generation.
Any void is an open invitation to undesirable influences. It gradually gets filled with primitive tendencies, and as a result, they become strongly individual-centered. This can eventually come into conflict with the collective perspective that is essential for a healthy society.
There is another negative trend as well. Sometimes, these stories are used as tools to promote certain religiously distracted behaviors.
Ideally, right and wrong should be determined by the consequences of any action. But when they are judged based on how well they align with the commands of a religious text, living as part of a healthy society takes a back seat. Being subordinate to a deity becomes primary. That is when the 'inner voice' gets distorted.
Such a shift can lead to religion-driven hatred and conflicts.
It is time we recognize the risks of exaggerating the role of religion in our lives.The Storytelling Void: Why modern families are losing their moral compass
Fortunately, some people have begun to recognize these risks. The idea of "religion for humans" is replacing "humans for religion." That is a very encouraging development.
On the other hand, …
In developed parts of the world, family systems have already collapsed. Grandmothers have moved to old-age homes or are living alone. There is no storytelling, but only "telling stories of miseries" remain.
Inner voices are being guided by primitive tendencies.
Even in countries like India, nuclear families are rapidly becoming common, creating a void in the growing child's mind.
Any void is an open invitation to troubling tendencies. It is time we recognize these mistakes.
If possible, bring back grannies, and enjoy storytelling for its true value. And subject your children to that joy for their own benefit.
We often speak about inner voices that guide us, when we make decisions. Based on what seems to arise from within us, we act accordingly.
I am not denying the possibility of an innate inner voice that may be unique to an individual. But in most cases, as we grow up listening to these stories, these inner voices are gradually formed over a period of time.
These stories act as conditioners of our subconscious. When a similar situation arises in real life, even without conscious choice, the brain automatically suggests the appropriate course of action.
This shaping of personality may happen by portraying the hero of an epic as an role model. The hero may be highly idealized and surreal. Similarly, by focusing on the villain, and on the suffering that results from his actions, these stories convey unacceptable traits. Whether the epic has any historical basis or not, or whether it is fictional, does not really matter.
Almost every society has such stories, that prime our thinking process, under the garb of entertainment. Yet, we often fail to recognize the importance of such stories in our mental development.
I have seen people debate the historicity of great Indian epics like Ramayana or Mahabharata. On the other hand, I have also seen modern nationalists, being absorbed in proving their historicity. But in this confusion, we forget an important aspect of these stories.
Indian epics like Ramayana or Mahabharata are filled with deliberate narration. Their portrayal is more dramatic than realistic.
The hero is always admirable in every way, and the villain is always deserving of dislike. Such portrayal may make these stories appear unrealistic and fictional. Consequently, many people make the mistake of dismissing these stories as myths.
That is where we go wrong.
In reality, these stories are more valuable for their impact on the mind than for their historical accuracy.
This is not limited to India alone. Every society in the world, regardless of its religious leaning or history, has gone through this stage.
Many modern societies have left these stories far behind. They have rejected them as religious impositions, or as mere poetic imagination, without any substance.
Fortunately, in India, many people still enjoy storytelling. Even though the source of these stories has shifted from a grandmother's lap to television screens, they still retain the potential to serve the same purpose.
But unfortunately, modernization and new technologies have begun to place more emphasis on the entertainment aspect of these stories, rather than on their real purpose. This creates a void in the personality formation of the younger generation.
Any void is an open invitation to undesirable influences. It gradually gets filled with primitive tendencies, and as a result, they become strongly individual-centered. This can eventually come into conflict with the collective perspective that is essential for a healthy society.
There is another negative trend as well. Sometimes, these stories are used as tools to promote certain religiously distracted behaviors.
Ideally, right and wrong should be determined by the consequences of any action. But when they are judged based on how well they align with the commands of a religious text, living as part of a healthy society takes a back seat. Being subordinate to a deity becomes primary. That is when the 'inner voice' gets distorted.
Such a shift can lead to religion-driven hatred and conflicts.
It is time we recognize the risks of exaggerating the role of religion in our lives.The Storytelling Void: Why modern families are losing their moral compass
Fortunately, some people have begun to recognize these risks. The idea of "religion for humans" is replacing "humans for religion." That is a very encouraging development.
On the other hand, …
In developed parts of the world, family systems have already collapsed. Grandmothers have moved to old-age homes or are living alone. There is no storytelling, but only "telling stories of miseries" remain.
Inner voices are being guided by primitive tendencies.
Even in countries like India, nuclear families are rapidly becoming common, creating a void in the growing child's mind.
Any void is an open invitation to troubling tendencies. It is time we recognize these mistakes.
If possible, bring back grannies, and enjoy storytelling for its true value. And subject your children to that joy for their own benefit.
© Dr. King, Swami Satyapriya 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment