so I want to talk to you guys today about a very important question what is
about a very important question what is
about a very important question what is it that makes people change the way they
it that makes people change the way they
it that makes people change the way they think so I’m a novelist with a
think so I’m a novelist with a
think so I’m a novelist with a background in anthropology as you just
background in anthropology as you just
background in anthropology as you just heard and I’ve always been fascinated by
heard and I’ve always been fascinated by
heard and I’ve always been fascinated by this question now I think we can all
this question now I think we can all
this question now I think we can all agree what the answer is not and it is
agree what the answer is not and it is
agree what the answer is not and it is not facts and rational arguments right
not facts and rational arguments right
not facts and rational arguments right because if it was talking about politics
because if it was talking about politics
because if it was talking about politics wouldn’t make us want to crawl under our
wouldn’t make us want to crawl under our
wouldn’t make us want to crawl under our desks and hide but profound
desks and hide but profound
desks and hide but profound transformations do happen and anybody in
transformations do happen and anybody in
transformations do happen and anybody in this room who cares about social change
this room who cares about social change
this room who cares about social change I think there are probably more than a
I think there are probably more than a
I think there are probably more than a few of us who do should also care about
few of us who do should also care about
few of us who do should also care about what it is that actually makes that
what it is that actually makes that
what it is that actually makes that possible so a few years ago to try to
possible so a few years ago to try to
possible so a few years ago to try to better understand this I spent several
better understand this I spent several
better understand this I spent several months in the field studying the social
months in the field studying the social
months in the field studying the social lives of paranormal investigators ghost
lives of paranormal investigators ghost
lives of paranormal investigators ghost hunters for those of you who aren’t
hunters for those of you who aren’t
hunters for those of you who aren’t familiar ghost hunters investigate
familiar ghost hunters investigate
familiar ghost hunters investigate reported hauntings to try and figure out
reported hauntings to try and figure out
reported hauntings to try and figure out first
first
first is there a natural explanation for
is there a natural explanation for
is there a natural explanation for what’s going on here and if there isn’t
what’s going on here and if there isn’t
what’s going on here and if there isn’t then they try to collect evidence of
then they try to collect evidence of
then they try to collect evidence of this paranormal activity using all kinds
this paranormal activity using all kinds
this paranormal activity using all kinds of equipment from electromagnetic field
of equipment from electromagnetic field
of equipment from electromagnetic field detectors and night-vision video cameras
detectors and night-vision video cameras
detectors and night-vision video cameras to attacks of the goosebumps so most
to attacks of the goosebumps so most
to attacks of the goosebumps so most ghost hunters believe in ghosts but they
ghost hunters believe in ghosts but they
ghost hunters believe in ghosts but they don’t only start out that way so what is
don’t only start out that way so what is
don’t only start out that way so what is it about ghost hunting that is the power
it about ghost hunting that is the power
it about ghost hunting that is the power to turn a skeptic into a believer the
to turn a skeptic into a believer the
to turn a skeptic into a believer the answer to that question is a ghost
answer to that question is a ghost
answer to that question is a ghost hunting as it happens taps into two of
hunting as it happens taps into two of
hunting as it happens taps into two of our most fundamental cognitive resources
our most fundamental cognitive resources
our most fundamental cognitive resources the resources that actually do have the
the resources that actually do have the
the resources that actually do have the power to change the way we see the world
power to change the way we see the world
power to change the way we see the world first ghost hunting is a group activity
first ghost hunting is a group activity
first ghost hunting is a group activity you don’t go ghost hunting by yourself
every horror movie ever teaches us that
every horror movie ever teaches us that would be a terrible idea
would be a terrible idea
would be a terrible idea you do this with a team and while you
you do this with a team and while you
you do this with a team and while you were sitting there in these dark rooms
were sitting there in these dark rooms
were sitting there in these dark rooms for hours and hours and hours and hours
for hours and hours and hours and hours
for hours and hours and hours and hours waiting for something to happen you are
waiting for something to happen you are
waiting for something to happen you are also building relationships with your
also building relationships with your
also building relationships with your fellow investigators you’re getting to
fellow investigators you’re getting to
fellow investigators you’re getting to know them and to care about them and
know them and to care about them and
know them and to care about them and relationships are magic bullets for
relationships are magic bullets for
relationships are magic bullets for changing minds we humans guys we are
changing minds we humans guys we are
changing minds we humans guys we are social animals we are adapted to work
social animals we are adapted to work
social animals we are adapted to work together in groups and part of this
together in groups and part of this
together in groups and part of this adaptation is that we have a reflexive
adaptation is that we have a reflexive
adaptation is that we have a reflexive not rational tendency for us to adjust
not rational tendency for us to adjust
not rational tendency for us to adjust our way of thinking about the world to
our way of thinking about the world to
our way of thinking about the world to be compatible with the people that were
be compatible with the people that were
be compatible with the people that were close to or that we look up to or
close to or that we look up to or
close to or that we look up to or respect second ghost-hunting
respect second ghost-hunting
respect second ghost-hunting it elicits strong emotions right imagine
it elicits strong emotions right imagine
it elicits strong emotions right imagine spending your Saturday nights hanging
spending your Saturday nights hanging
spending your Saturday nights hanging around in a spooky abandoned insane
around in a spooky abandoned insane
around in a spooky abandoned insane asylum that sounds relaxing right no
asylum that sounds relaxing right no
asylum that sounds relaxing right no ghost hunting is incredibly intense and
ghost hunting is incredibly intense and
ghost hunting is incredibly intense and scary and it’s so much fun your
scary and it’s so much fun your
scary and it’s so much fun your adrenaline is running so hot that if the
adrenaline is running so hot that if the
adrenaline is running so hot that if the door creaks downstairs you are jumping
door creaks downstairs you are jumping
door creaks downstairs you are jumping out of your skin now emotion is
out of your skin now emotion is
out of your skin now emotion is intimately tied to how our memory works
intimately tied to how our memory works
intimately tied to how our memory works it’s like this synaptic cement right it
it’s like this synaptic cement right it
it’s like this synaptic cement right it just Sears what would otherwise be a
just Sears what would otherwise be a
just Sears what would otherwise be a one-off connection into your brain and
one-off connection into your brain and
one-off connection into your brain and makes it stick I’m assuming that
makes it stick I’m assuming that
makes it stick I’m assuming that everybody in this room right now
everybody in this room right now
everybody in this room right now remembers where you were on September
remembers where you were on September
remembers where you were on September 11th right or that time that you got
11th right or that time that you got
11th right or that time that you got lost on the beach when you were a kid or
lost on the beach when you were a kid or
lost on the beach when you were a kid or maybe the last three minutes of the 2004
maybe the last three minutes of the 2004
maybe the last three minutes of the 2004 World Series these experiences are
World Series these experiences are
World Series these experiences are burned into our brains because through
burned into our brains because through
burned into our brains because through each one of them your emotions were on
each one of them your emotions were on
each one of them your emotions were on fire this is why skeptics that go ghost
fire this is why skeptics that go ghost
fire this is why skeptics that go ghost hunting even if they start out just
hunting even if they start out just
hunting even if they start out just trying to prove everybody wrong
trying to prove everybody wrong
trying to prove everybody wrong rarely stay skeptical for long this
rarely stay skeptical for long this
rarely stay skeptical for long this growing closeness that they form with a
growing closeness that they form with a
growing closeness that they form with a new tribe exerts a psychological
new tribe exerts a psychological
new tribe exerts a psychological pressure to open up the way they
pressure to open up the way they
pressure to open up the way they interpret the world and getting scared
interpret the world and getting scared
interpret the world and getting scared makes that experience stick in their
makes that experience stick in their
makes that experience stick in their minds humans guys we are experts at
minds humans guys we are experts at
minds humans guys we are experts at ignoring the facts that don’t agree with
ignoring the facts that don’t agree with
ignoring the facts that don’t agree with our existing point of view really good
our existing point of view really good
our existing point of view really good at it but form relationships strong
at it but form relationships strong
at it but form relationships strong relationships with people that think
relationships with people that think
relationships with people that think differently than you do and share
differently than you do and share
differently than you do and share intense emotional experiences with them
intense emotional experiences with them
intense emotional experiences with them and you might just find yourself seeing
and you might just find yourself seeing
and you might just find yourself seeing things in a whole new way an
things in a whole new way an
things in a whole new way an anthropologists and psychologists we’ve
anthropologists and psychologists we’ve
anthropologists and psychologists we’ve seen this happen with a lot more than
seen this happen with a lot more than
seen this happen with a lot more than just ghost hunting groups it’s happening
just ghost hunting groups it’s happening
just ghost hunting groups it’s happening with English witchcraft practitioners
with English witchcraft practitioners
with English witchcraft practitioners Papua New Guinean cargo cults Western
Papua New Guinean cargo cults Western
Papua New Guinean cargo cults Western environmentalists American college
environmentalists American college
environmentalists American college students and psych labs but what does
students and psych labs but what does
students and psych labs but what does this have to do with us and this current
this have to do with us and this current
this have to do with us and this current political climate that we’re in of
political climate that we’re in of
political climate that we’re in of seemingly impenetrable opposing views
seemingly impenetrable opposing views
seemingly impenetrable opposing views well if you guys want to change minds
well if you guys want to change minds
well if you guys want to change minds you got to build relationships and share
you got to build relationships and share
you got to build relationships and share emotional experiences but I’m guessing
emotional experiences but I’m guessing
emotional experiences but I’m guessing there probably aren’t too many of you
there probably aren’t too many of you
there probably aren’t too many of you here who have the time or the
here who have the time or the
here who have the time or the inclination to go ghost hunting with
inclination to go ghost hunting with
inclination to go ghost hunting with every single climate change denier
clearly what we need here is a way to
clearly what we need here is a way to scale this up right and change more than
scale this up right and change more than
scale this up right and change more than one mind at a time and thankfully there
one mind at a time and thankfully there
one mind at a time and thankfully there is a solution telling stories stories
is a solution telling stories stories
is a solution telling stories stories are part of humanity that we’ve been
are part of humanity that we’ve been
are part of humanity that we’ve been telling them for as long as we’ve been
telling them for as long as we’ve been
telling them for as long as we’ve been hanging around in groups and as it
hanging around in groups and as it
hanging around in groups and as it happens stories tap into exactly the
happens stories tap into exactly the
happens stories tap into exactly the same cognitive resources we’ve been
same cognitive resources we’ve been
same cognitive resources we’ve been talking about first stories bro build
talking about first stories bro build
talking about first stories bro build relationships this is how they work how
relationships this is how they work how
relationships this is how they work how many of you can name a character that
many of you can name a character that
many of you can name a character that you know as well as your best friends
you know as well as your best friends
you know as well as your best friends right I know that Fox Mulder never got
right I know that Fox Mulder never got
right I know that Fox Mulder never got over the disappearance of a sister love
over the disappearance of a sister love
over the disappearance of a sister love sunflower seeds and would have been an
sunflower seeds and would have been an
sunflower seeds and would have been an absolutely awful boyfriend our brains
absolutely awful boyfriend our brains
absolutely awful boyfriend our brains don’t care that these aren’t real people
don’t care that these aren’t real people
don’t care that these aren’t real people the relationships that we form with the
the relationships that we form with the
the relationships that we form with the characters that inhabit our favorite
characters that inhabit our favorite
characters that inhabit our favorite stories still have the power to impact
stories still have the power to impact
stories still have the power to impact the way we think as do the emotional
the way we think as do the emotional
the way we think as do the emotional experiences that we share with them
experiences that we share with them
experiences that we share with them Thelma and Louise sharing a kiss before
Thelma and Louise sharing a kiss before
Thelma and Louise sharing a kiss before they floor it over the edge of a cliff
they floor it over the edge of a cliff
they floor it over the edge of a cliff right a Owen raising her sword before
right a Owen raising her sword before
right a Owen raising her sword before the king of the Nazgul telling him I am
the king of the Nazgul telling him I am
the king of the Nazgul telling him I am no man you are present in those moments
no man you are present in those moments
no man you are present in those moments cognitively speaking they are eliciting
cognitively speaking they are eliciting
cognitively speaking they are eliciting real emotions with all the power of that
real emotions with all the power of that
real emotions with all the power of that electricity to reshape the pathways of
electricity to reshape the pathways of
electricity to reshape the pathways of your brain now obviously not all stories
your brain now obviously not all stories
your brain now obviously not all stories accomplish this and unfortunately
accomplish this and unfortunately
accomplish this and unfortunately there’s not an easy recipe for what
there’s not an easy recipe for what
there’s not an easy recipe for what makes a story not only effective in that
makes a story not only effective in that
makes a story not only effective in that it elicits these strong emotions and
it elicits these strong emotions and
it elicits these strong emotions and makes you care about its characters but
makes you care about its characters but
makes you care about its characters but also viral so that it finds its way into
also viral so that it finds its way into
also viral so that it finds its way into the hands and eyes at masses I mean if
the hands and eyes at masses I mean if
the hands and eyes at masses I mean if there were I wouldn’t be giving you this
there were I wouldn’t be giving you this
there were I wouldn’t be giving you this talk right now because I’d be off having
talk right now because I’d be off having
talk right now because I’d be off having tea and biscuits with JK Rowling and Dan
tea and biscuits with JK Rowling and Dan
tea and biscuits with JK Rowling and Dan Brown but each of us storytellers
Brown but each of us storytellers
Brown but each of us storytellers strives for this every time we set our
strives for this every time we set our
strives for this every time we set our fingers to a keyboard and because we
fingers to a keyboard and because we
fingers to a keyboard and because we don’t know which story is gonna be the
don’t know which story is gonna be the
don’t know which story is gonna be the one to break out we all regardless of
one to break out we all regardless of
one to break out we all regardless of our medium have a responsibility to
our medium have a responsibility to
our medium have a responsibility to think
think
think the greater potential impact of what we
the greater potential impact of what we
the greater potential impact of what we right now I’m a feminist I know I’m not
right now I’m a feminist I know I’m not
right now I’m a feminist I know I’m not supposed to use dirty words up here so
supposed to use dirty words up here so
supposed to use dirty words up here so sorry I believe strongly in the struggle
sorry I believe strongly in the struggle
sorry I believe strongly in the struggle for women’s rights and I believe that
for women’s rights and I believe that
for women’s rights and I believe that that struggle that we have had so many
that struggle that we have had so many
that struggle that we have had so many successes is far from over
successes is far from over
successes is far from over and a couple weeks ago when I saw a gal
and a couple weeks ago when I saw a gal
and a couple weeks ago when I saw a gal gadot’s Wonder Woman throw off her
gadot’s Wonder Woman throw off her
gadot’s Wonder Woman throw off her disguise and stride out of that trench
disguise and stride out of that trench
disguise and stride out of that trench into no-man’s land I fell apart because
into no-man’s land I fell apart because
into no-man’s land I fell apart because it’s rare it’s still an anomaly to see a
it’s rare it’s still an anomaly to see a
it’s rare it’s still an anomaly to see a grown woman be the hero in a story where
grown woman be the hero in a story where
grown woman be the hero in a story where she isn’t just fighting to survive or
she isn’t just fighting to survive or
she isn’t just fighting to survive or looking for love I spend a lot of time
looking for love I spend a lot of time
looking for love I spend a lot of time hanging out in the 19th century because
hanging out in the 19th century because
hanging out in the 19th century because I write historical fiction so I’m
I write historical fiction so I’m
I write historical fiction so I’m immersing myself and how the people of
immersing myself and how the people of
immersing myself and how the people of our past thought and I can tell you that
our past thought and I can tell you that
our past thought and I can tell you that the same tropes the same quiet old
the same tropes the same quiet old
the same tropes the same quiet old assumptions still find their way into so
assumptions still find their way into so
assumptions still find their way into so many of our stories today that women are
many of our stories today that women are
many of our stories today that women are inherently more nurturing and
inherently more nurturing and
inherently more nurturing and compassionate than men that monogamous
compassionate than men that monogamous
compassionate than men that monogamous love and a romantic relationship
love and a romantic relationship
love and a romantic relationship presumably as a prelude to making babies
presumably as a prelude to making babies
presumably as a prelude to making babies this is our true destiny that were less
this is our true destiny that were less
this is our true destiny that were less rational that were physically weaker in
rational that were physically weaker in
rational that were physically weaker in a nude of a big strong man to rescue us
a nude of a big strong man to rescue us
a nude of a big strong man to rescue us but here is the thing every storyteller
but here is the thing every storyteller
but here is the thing every storyteller regardless of whether you are scribbling
regardless of whether you are scribbling
regardless of whether you are scribbling comic books or directing blockbusters
comic books or directing blockbusters
comic books or directing blockbusters has the power to turn disbelievers into
has the power to turn disbelievers into
has the power to turn disbelievers into believers just like those ghost hunters
believers just like those ghost hunters
believers just like those ghost hunters we have this unique ability to reach
we have this unique ability to reach
we have this unique ability to reach into the minds of millions to tap into
into the minds of millions to tap into
into the minds of millions to tap into their most essential cognitive resources
their most essential cognitive resources
their most essential cognitive resources and open up the way they see the world
and open up the way they see the world
and open up the way they see the world now a spider-man’s Uncle Ben tells us
with great power comes great
with great power comes great responsibility because we have this
responsibility because we have this
responsibility because we have this power each of us creatives has a duty to
power each of us creatives has a duty to
power each of us creatives has a duty to think critically about the culture we
think critically about the culture we
think critically about the culture we reproduce in our art now that is not
reproduce in our art now that is not
reproduce in our art now that is not easy it is in fact deeply unsettling to
easy it is in fact deeply unsettling to
easy it is in fact deeply unsettling to question whether your ideas about gender
question whether your ideas about gender
question whether your ideas about gender class race diversity right and wrong
class race diversity right and wrong
class race diversity right and wrong good and evil aren’t actually natural
good and evil aren’t actually natural
good and evil aren’t actually natural truths but culture and not only that but
truths but culture and not only that but
truths but culture and not only that but relics of a culture that legitimized
relics of a culture that legitimized
relics of a culture that legitimized discrimination and oppression but
discrimination and oppression but
discrimination and oppression but storytellers have many of the traits
storytellers have many of the traits
storytellers have many of the traits that make for great anthropologists
that make for great anthropologists
that make for great anthropologists we’re critical thinkers we are wildly
we’re critical thinkers we are wildly
we’re critical thinkers we are wildly imaginative and I honestly believe that
imaginative and I honestly believe that
imaginative and I honestly believe that we have this capacity not only to
we have this capacity not only to
we have this capacity not only to recognize those old tropes for what they
recognize those old tropes for what they
recognize those old tropes for what they are but to imagine new possibilities and
are but to imagine new possibilities and
are but to imagine new possibilities and embody them in what we write we can
embody them in what we write we can
embody them in what we write we can conceive of the way the world could be
conceive of the way the world could be
conceive of the way the world could be and move our readers and our audiences
and move our readers and our audiences
and move our readers and our audiences to take a step toward it and if we
to take a step toward it and if we
to take a step toward it and if we succeed its skill and talent and luck
succeed its skill and talent and luck
succeed its skill and talent and luck come together with the right wild ideas
come together with the right wild ideas
come together with the right wild ideas then we could just change the world
then we could just change the world
then we could just change the world thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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