How To Tell Stories That Move People - Will Storr

Will Storr is an author, journalist, and former photographer. Stories mould who we are, from our character to our cultural identity. They drive us to act out our dreams and ambitions, and shape our politics and beliefs. Some of the world’s greatest contributors are those who have learned to master storytelling. Is storytelling something we can learn? Is there a science to storytelling? Expect to learn how we use stories to gain status, why stories are key to how we process reality, what most people get wrong about great storytelling, the fundamental questions great storytellers answer, what the best stories in recent history are, and much more… 00:00 Why Are Stories So Persuasive? 03:45 The Problem of Knowingness 08:29 Stories Are the Language of the Brain 13:55 The Link Between Stories & Social Identity 25:22 How Stories Engineer Tribal Preferences 39:05 How We Use Stories to Gain Status 44:31 Rivalry in Storytelling 57:36 Storytelling in Cancel Culture 1:05:32 What People Get Wrong About Good Storytelling 1:10:19 The Importance of Heroes in Stories 1:20:07 How to Make Stories Stick More 1:26:09 The Story Around Smoking Cigarettes 1:33:41 Where to Find Will - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostWill Storrguest

May 22, 20251h 34mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: May 22, 2025
Duration: 1h 34m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Will Storr is an author, journalist, and former photographer. Stories mould who we are, from our character to our cultural identity. They drive us to act out our dreams and ambitions, and shape our politics and beliefs. Some of the world’s greatest contributors are those who have learned to master storytelling. Is storytelling something we can learn? Is there a science to storytelling? Expect to learn how we use stories to gain status, why stories are key to how we process reality, what most people get wrong about great storytelling, the fundamental questions great storytellers answer, what the best stories in recent history are, and much more… 00:00 Why Are Stories So Persuasive? 03:45 The Problem of Knowingness 08:29 Stories Are the Language of the Brain 13:55 The Link Between Stories & Social Identity 25:22 How Stories Engineer Tribal Preferences 39:05 How We Use Stories to Gain Status 44:31 Rivalry in Storytelling 57:36 Storytelling in Cancel Culture 1:05:32 What People Get Wrong About Good Storytelling 1:10:19 The Importance of Heroes in Stories 1:20:07 How to Make Stories Stick More 1:26:09 The Story Around Smoking Cigarettes 1:33:41 Where to Find Will - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Will Storr
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Will Storr, How To Tell Stories That Move People - Will Storr explores why Storytelling Shapes Belief, Identity, Status, and Modern Power Will Storr explains that humans are wired to perceive the world through stories rather than data, and that narrative is the brain’s primary sense‑making tool. Because identity, group belonging, and status matter more to us than abstract truth, we adopt stories that reinforce our group’s worldview, then selectively find or distort data to fit. Storr shows how this dynamic underpins everything from political polarization and cancel culture to advertising successes and failures, using examples like Apple’s 1984 ad, Bud Light, Tesla, and Theranos. He also breaks down how stories confer status, how identity threats backfire, and how to craft persuasive narratives and apology messages that truly move people.

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