Discussion Thread: What is the purpose of telling stories?

From accountailor.<br><br>I find myself drawn back to this concept, over and over again.<br><br>If you write a story, who are you writing for? Inevitably, you are writing for yourself, as part of the process of growing and developing and learning.<br><br>So what is the purpose of sharing those stories with other people? To impart values? To entertain? To discuss boundaries? To create a sense of connection? To explore the self?<br><br>I think the purpose of storytelling is to explain ourselves to each other. Through the stories we tell and the stories we listen to, we establish a context to understand ourselves and each other. Sometimes, those stories are meant to explain why we behave the way we do, and sometimes those stories explain how to behave.<br><br>What are some of the key stories that you have been told throughout your life? Are there any stories that you revisit over and over again? What do they say about you, as a storyteller, and as an audience?<br><br>What do you think the purpose of storytelling is?