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Because Dragons Can Be Beaten
Why we’ll always need Fairy Tales.
Why do we humans tell stories we know aren’t true? Why do we want to listen to stories we know aren’t true? And why are stories that aren’t true so often longer-lasting and more powerful than stories that are?
Mark Twain once said. “A lie can travel half-way around the world while the truth is still putting its pants on.” He was being sarcastic, but there is more to this observation than the sly look on its face. A good lie not only moves faster, it can also be strong enough to outlive the truth. For example, there may or may not have been a Trojan War some millennia ago, but while we can’t remember well enough to be certain of the war, we perfectly remember its heroes and villains. Why is that? Why does the made-up part have so much power and permanence in us?
“The incarnate mind, the tongue, and the tale are in our world coeval.” — Tolkien
Tolkien indicates that the imagination (the incarnate mind) and the telling of stories are inseparable, and furthermore, they enter together into this world when you do, as you. Or at least co-existing with you.
“I want people to imagine. I think that your imagination is the most important tool that you possess, and I think that in addition to being a tool, it’s a muscle, and unless it’s exercised, it atrophies.” — Neil…
