There are many benefits of storytelling. Humans are attracted to storytelling and live their lives through stories. They read stories, watch movies, play video games and engage with stories through social media. Stories help us make sense of our experiences. They connect us to others, and help us understand other’s experiences, behaviours, responses and beliefs. All cultures have storytelling.
In the 2025 Boyer Lecture, Professor Larissa Behrendt said:
“Telling stories is a powerful strategy for achieving social justice because it shifts issues from the abstract to the human, from statistics to lived experience. Facts and policy arguments may inform, but stories engage the heart, making the realities of injustice tangible and relatable. They allow people to see the world through another’s eyes, breaking down stereotypes, prejudice and apathy. Storytelling also reclaims agency. For communities who have been silenced, telling their own stories counters attempts at erasure and at the same time, asserts identity, culture and truth on their own terms. Narratives can mobilise empathy into action, build solidarity across divides, and influence public opinion in ways that can pressure institutions to change. In legal, political and cultural movements, from Mabo to #MeToo, stories have reframed debates, inspired allies, and made justice seem both urgent and possible”.
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