Storytelling for Empathy

Storytelling is the most powerful tool of all. For the longest time it has been a way—and
an effective one at that—to deliver a message, implement ideas and induce the emotion
the teller wants the audience to feel. It grabs the attention, pulls the heartstrings, making
the listeners dance in the palm of the speaker’s hand; and to think we all have the
capability of storytelling. With something so powerful within us, we must use it to better
our nation and society, especially during this pandemic.

But this pandemic has been going on for so long that people are starting to dissociate
from the current reality. In fact, a lot of people don’t truly understand the severity of the
situation or choose to ignore it. They are the people who still hold social gatherings and
who don’t follow community guidelines. These are the people who can afford to live
comfortably in their homes, with a good internet connection and a somewhat stable
income—the privileged ones. And for the sake of those who aren’t, we must make them
aware and make them care. And storytelling can do just that. We can use it to deliver
hope and inspire compassion.

But what exactly does storytelling do? For one, it increases the focus, attention and
interest in a subject matter. Good storytelling ropes in the audience and receives their
unwavering attention. Which is why you more vividly remember the last scenes of
Avengers: Endgame instead of your study material. Humans also have a tendency to be
emotionally attached, whether it be to another person, an animal, or a seemingly
irrelevant object. When we are emotionally attached, we hold that thing at a very high
regard, no matter what its actual value is.

But if humans can treat something as insignificant as a rock with such endearment, why
can’t they do the same for the people who are suffering? It could be that they simply
don’t know or don’t keep up with current affairs—the ones who are fortunate enough to
not be awfully affected by the pandemic, and who also don’t care. It might also be that
they simply choose to avert their eyes from the situation as a form of coping
mechanism. It might even be that they don’t believe that the pandemic is that big of a
deal.
Well, it’s most likely because they only get to see that suffering in the form of numbers,
or in cold, straight-to-the point news. It is only when the news provides a backstory and
a narration about the hardships that people seem to actually care. It is because
storytelling causes people to become more empathetic. They are able to visualize
themselves in the other person’s shoes and feel their hardships as if they were the ones
with it. Storytelling also emphasized the gravity of the situation, creating a vivid picture
for those who aren’t directly affected, prompting them to be more considerate and
helpful.

Think of it this way: If I told you to that there are over 400,000 COVID-19 cases and
more than 8,000 deaths, you’d probably feel bad, think about it from time to time, but
then resume your daily activities without much thought. But what if I told you about
Derick, a 34-year-old husband and soon-to-be father. He had an auto-immune disease
and a pregnant wife so he was very careful. But due to an accident at work, he caught
the virus. He suffered everyday in isolation before his death. He didn’t even get to see
the face of his child. Now that would hit you harder than the numbers I just mentioned.
That is how we can get people to care and be aware of how damaging this pandemic is.

However, it is understandable that not all people truly grasp our current situation. It is
hard to understand the scope and severity of its damage when you don’t see it with your
own eyes. I mean, yes, the streets are empty and social events have ceased, but you
and many others might have or will never know what it feels like to be in the frontlines,
to have lost a loved one, or to have suffered the effects of the virus. And that’s okay. But
it is also the more important that we make ourselves, and other people knowledgeable,
understanding and empathetic. And nothing can do that better than through a story.