Why Tell Stories to Children?

Even more “complicated” ones,

beyond (or even simply)
Winnie the Pooh and/or Dr. Zeuss

© 2000-2009 Adrian S. Petrescu

 Let’s try this:
“A person’s a person, no
matter how small”
(from Dr. Zeuss’s
“Horton Hears a Who”)

What does this tell us?

No, No, No!

Not about Roe v. Wade!

Rather, about Storytelling!

 One Reason…

“A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started.

[S]he is going to sit where you are sitting, and when you are gone, attend to those things which you
think are important.
You may adopt all the policies you please, but how they are carried out depends on him.
[S]he will assume control of your cities, states, and natio ns.
[S]he is going to move in and take over your churches, schools, universities, and corporatio ns...
the fate of humanity is in [her] hands.”
(Abraham Lincoln)
 One solution
(whatever the “problem” is)

Enlarge the funnel entry size (more people
can think)

Increase throughput in the funnel

Increase awareness in the funnel

Rely on radiative & viral massive (self-)
distribution of awareness/knowledge
production requirements dynamic by
participants in the funnel towards outside of
the funnel
 One solution (cont.)

Example: “paradigm shift” the media buzzword
vs. the real concept
 A good thing: increased awareness since Kuhn;
 A not so good thing: superficial on concept
definition, utility and requirements


Potential good way: Children=young learners...
 let's stop indoctrinating,
 let learners think... &
 let us learn what they think
 let us take their (the children’s) lead…
Cycle of knowledge in “nature”
Data → Information → Knowledge → Wisdom
↑ ↓
←←←←←←←←←←←←←←←←←←←←

Entry intro the system?

Contribution to the system?

Speed inside the system?

Factors of speed/acceleration in the system?

System outputs/outcomes
 improved policy design
 improved quality of life
 improved accountability
etc.

Detours?
 Stories can make us
THink THings THrough
Generate more thinkers
+
Allow more thinkers to thrive
↓
Increased throughput
in knowledge production cycle
↓
Faster Knowledge Advancement;
Increased accountability from empowered
knowledgeable citizenry
© Dr. Adrian S. Petrescu 2010

We got here. What’s next?

www.InnovationTrek.org