Why Are We So Hooked On Narratives?

It might be our stupid brains' fault

I sometimes think that news is a bit like food. The Economist and The Atlantic are kale. Cable news is McDonald’s. The New York Times and Washington Post are Michelin star restaurants run by eccentric chefs who might be going insane; sometimes they’re great, sometimes you find a human finger in your risotto and think “what the fuck is going on here?” Twitter and Facebook are garbage bags full of Sour Patch Kids and whipped cream.

I’d be lying if I said that I exclusively consume a healthy, balanced media diet. I spend plenty of time scooping big handfuls from that delicious trash bag of sugary crap. Reading thoughtful pieces from quality sources is work; I have to force myself to do it. I’ll sometimes tell myself: “If you read this article about global cobalt shortage then you can reward yourself with the article you want to read: 15 Former Child Stars Who Work Shitty Jobs Now (#7 Is Also Fat!).”

Of course, since I accidentally ended up working in media, I think a lot about what people want to read and hear. The secret recipe, to be honest, is pretty simple: People want to hear stories that fit their worldview. Narratives are the coin of the realm. There are exceptions — one of the great things about Substack is that some truly outstanding newsletters are making independence their brand — but the big money isn’t in telling people stuff that’s new or that they might not want to hear. The big money is in telling people stories that confirm what they think they already know.