Narratives of Resilience
In a riveting conversation for this week's show, science fiction and non-fiction writer Annalee Newitz delved into the resilience of ancient cities in the face of disasters. The discussion, which was heartbreakingly relevant to the ongoing LA wildfires, highlighted the importance of storytelling as a survival technology.
Newitz, the author of "Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age," frames storytelling as a crucial human tool. According to her, narratives help keep communities together and spirits strong, particularly during times of disaster and political turmoil.
In her book, Newitz suggests that stories act as a survival technology, preserving critical knowledge about infrastructure, survival tactics, and social organization. By serving as vessels for cultural memory and collective wisdom, stories enable people to adapt and find meaning amid upheaval.
Moreover, narratives reinforce shared identities and trust, fostering cooperation and mutual aid. They help people make sense of chaotic events, reducing fear and enabling collective problem-solving. Newitz believes that stories communicate strategies for rebuilding and resilience, passing on lessons learned.
Through this lens, storytelling is more than entertainment; it is a crucial form of technology that sustains societies by guiding adaptive responses to threats. Newitz further suggests that stories provide lessons in resilience encoded in myths and songs.
The program values intelligent optimism and Anne, the host, wished courage and resilience to the reader. The conversation with Annalee Newitz underscored the power of storytelling in shaping our understanding of the past, present, and future, and its role in fostering resilience in the face of adversity.
- Annalee Newitz, in her book "Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age," posits that stories are a form of survival technology, storing critical knowledge about infrastructure, survival tactics, and social organization.
- By fostering shared identities and trust, stories reinforce cooperation and mutual aid, helping people make sense of chaotic events, reduce fear, and enable collective problem-solving.
- Newitz asserts that beyond being a source of entertainment, stories carry lessons in resilience encoded in myths and songs, making them integral to shaping societies' adaptive responses to threats.
