I’m a little worried about the future.
To be specific, I’m a little worried about technology.
It feels like the more we plug in to our screens and devices, the less we tune in to our relationships, our empathy, and our higher consciousness. The more we get distracted by virtual reality, the less we engage in—well, real reality.
So I’m always thrilled to discover ways that technology is actually helping people feel connected, respected, and understood. It gives me hope for the future.
StoryCorps is one such bit of hope.
When I first heard about StoryCorps, it reminded me of The Moth. “True stories told live” is the Moth motto – and boy do they deliver. The Moth shows us how powerful the simple act of telling your story, and listening to others tell theirs, can be.
Just like The Moth, StoryCorps reveres the story, but adds an element of interaction. StoryCorps invites people all over the country to grab a friend, loved one, or unsuspecting stranger and interview them. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected hundreds of thousands of conversations, recording them on a free CD to share, and preserving them at the Library of Congress.
The StoryCorps mission is to “…spark a global movement to record and preserve meaningful conversations….that result in an ever-growing archive of the collective wisdom of humanity.” (For a moving overview by founder Dave Isay, and a sampling of choice interviews, watch this StoryCorps TED talk.)
Typical StoryCorps interview questions can be straightforward, like Can you tell me the story of your first kiss? or What’s the worst thing you ever did as a kid?
But they can also be as complex as How has your life been different than you imagined? or If you were to die suddenly this evening, what would you regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?
With these and other prompts, anyone can dig beneath the surface and discover the ideas, stories, and sentiments that too often go unexplored. It ain’t easy being intimate, and each StoryCorps interview is an act of courage that elicits raw honesty and beauty.
The platform makes it a snap to get started. First, turn your phone into an instant interview device by downloading the StoryCorps app. Next, throw caution to the wind, put your hesitation aside, and get out there. Share an interview with your Mom, your best friend, your son, your hairdresser, even the guy who mows your lawn every week.
How often do we connect meaningfully in our daily interactions? How often do we ask our friends, our family, or perfect strangers “Who are you? What have you learned in this life? How do you want to be remembered?”
Not often enough.
Yet the potential payoff is infinite.
StoryCorps interviews give everyone at the table permission to go deep. You might be amazed at how little you know about the person you thought you knew the best in the world. At how much closer you feel after coaxing to the surface their previously hidden depths.
Both of you will be forever changed – whether slightly or monumentally – for the better. The words you share will ripple out to the universe (or at least as far as the Library of Congress) to say:
I mean something. I have something to share. I exist.
