Knowing How to Tell a Good Story Is Like Having Mind Control | Alan Alda | Big Think
Knowing How to Tell a Good Story Is Like Having Mind Control
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Your mind thinks in stories. Tell better ones to get ahead.
Knowing how to tell a good story is like having mind control. Alan Alda shares some incredible tips for captivating a crowd-or nailing your next job interview.
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ALAN ALDA:
Alan Alda has earned international recognition as an actor, writer and director. In addition to The Aviator, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, Alda's films include Crimes and Misdemeanors, Everyone Says I Love You, Flirting With Disaster, Manhattan Murder Mystery, And The Band Played On, Same Time, Next Year and California Suite, as well as The Seduction of Joe Tynan, which he wrote, and The Four Seasons, Sweet Liberty, A New Life and Betsy's Wedding, all of which he wrote and directed. Recently, his film appearances have included Tower Heist, Wanderlust, and Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies.
He helped found the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University where he is a Visiting Professor, helping to develop innovative programs that enable scientists to communicate more effectively with the public. He originated The Flame Challenge, a yearly international competition for scientists in which they compete to explain complex scientific concepts so that 11-year-olds can understand them. Since 2008, he has worked with physicist Brian Greene in presenting the annual World Science Festival in New York City, attended since its inception by over a million people. He has won numerous awards for communicating science from the National Academy of Sciences, the American Chemical Society, and the National Science Board.
Alda was born in New York City, the son of the distinguished actor, Robert Alda. He began acting in the theater at the age of 16 in summer stock in Barnesville, Pennsylvania.
During his junior year at Fordham University, he studied in Europe where he performed on the stage in Rome and on television in Amsterdam with his father.
After college, he acted at the Cleveland Playhouse on a Ford Foundation grant. On his return to New York, he was seen on Broadway, off-Broadway and on television. He later acquired improvisational training with "Second City" in New York and "Compass" at Hyannisport. That background in political and social satire led to his work as a regular on television's "That Was the Week That Was."
His wife, Arlene, is the author of nineteen books, including her latest, Just Kids from the Bronx. An award winning professional photographer, her work has appeared in a number of magazines and books. They have three daughters and eight grandchildren.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Alan Alda: I met a nanoscientist at Cornell University who had a really interesting story. He had discovered, with his graduate student, how to make the world’s thinnest glass-it was only one atom thick. The top of it was the same atom as the bottom of it, and he called it “two-dimensional glass.” It was an amazing thing, nobody had ever found a way to make glass this thin before, and it was picked up by one scientific journal.
And it seemed like a more interesting subject than one that would just get that much attention. And a couple of months later he was taking our workshop when we were up at Cornell, and in the course of talking about his discovery we realized that he had discovered how to make the world’s thinnest glass by accident. It wasn't something he was trying to do, an accident happened.
And I said, "You know, this is fascinating. People like us, on the outside, in the public, it's an interesting story to us to know that something so groundbreaking, that helped you understand the structure of glass and might have new uses for glass, that you discovered such a thing by accident. What an interesting story that is."
And also in the meantime he had been cited in the Guinness Book of World Records as having discovered the world's thinnest glass. So now he had two things that would interest the public.
And the next time he gave an interview he started off with the story of how it had been an accident that he discovered this. This human story now led into the technical story about what was the world's thinnest glass, how was it made, and that kind of thing. It became a story that was interesting to other people who don't know the technical details with that familiarity.
Read full transcript on: bigthink.com/videos/alan-alda...
Пікірлер: 238
This guy just told us a story about telling stories
@mikew1332
7 жыл бұрын
Yes he did. And the lesson is worth it.
@jonathangibson9098
7 жыл бұрын
Meta!
@HeavyTOVids
6 жыл бұрын
Jonathan Gibson Metal! Fucking metal! METAAAAAAAL!!!!!!!
@cadenrolland5250
6 жыл бұрын
So you're telling me, that he is telling me, how to tell others a story, by telling me a story? Deep. ;-)
@jeffersonsantiago5567
5 жыл бұрын
Yo Dawg
A good story doesn’t have to be true, it just have to be told in an interesting way.
@Monkey80llx
2 жыл бұрын
Just a shame that a lot of people try to convince people that their bullshit is true!
@BucketOfMarbles
2 жыл бұрын
A good story is always true, but the truth might not be literal.
@billielith
2 жыл бұрын
Ummm, that is not what Mr Alda said, but every lawyer will agree with you, I guess, lol.
@HernanHH95
2 жыл бұрын
Also it doesn’t have to be interesting
@Devil-gamin
Жыл бұрын
@@BucketOfMarbles is
Good STORY! From the "Life of Pi", near the end of the movie the narrator asks, "Which story did you like better? The one with the tiger or the one without?" "With the tiger" is the answer. Of course, everyone knew that version wasn't true, but it definitely WAS the better story. Overcoming adversity.
@kookiecastro8452
2 жыл бұрын
*so its just imagination? the one with the tiger?*
@poojashree5838
2 жыл бұрын
Are you sure that was the real story, from what i understood the insurance company didn't believe that he could have sailed and survived all those days alone with a tiger and that the tiger left him in an island. The insurance won't pay the claims if they can't believe the story, that is when he simplifies his story to make it more believable, and narrates a different version of it without a tiger.
@kookiecastro8452
2 жыл бұрын
@@poojashree5838 insurance company??? i dont get iit
@guiguspi
2 жыл бұрын
@@kookiecastro8452 I understood that the animal story was just a way to cope with the horrible real story (each animal was acctually a person). The real story involved two(?) instances of murder and cannibalism, one of them to his own mother.
@kookiecastro8452
2 жыл бұрын
@@guiguspi whats the horrible story?
Telling stories changes everything. Thank you Mr. Alda.
@mikew1332
7 жыл бұрын
I wish more of the commenters understood that that was his point. Thank you, Psoriasis.
[carries glass of water nonchalantly across the stage, swishing it back and forth, slams cup on the table spilling water everywhere] "I've never liked the people in my village"
@jackkraken3888
3 жыл бұрын
Villagers:"Well we didn't like you either. "
@ristoshikongo7730
2 жыл бұрын
@@jackkraken3888 20 July 2021 Great story both of you.
@davidottley2739
2 жыл бұрын
A big "thank you" to everybody who came out for this performance. Don't forget to tip your waitstaff!
@souldissolve
2 жыл бұрын
Reading this I finally understand why it takes a village to raise a child. And if the village fails to do so, the child will eventually burn down the village to feel it's warmth.
@Dogen70
2 жыл бұрын
Excellent
This is great advice! As an engineer I’m compelled and training to speak in dry bullet point facts and charts. That’s valuable information! But you make a very compelling case to speak in narrative to a degree to keep attention. I cannot argue and will try to do so :)
Beautiful! The glass of water analogy captures it all--a whole course on dramatic narrative in a single, simple metaphor. Perfect!
I love coming back to this video! Sometimes, I unfortunately forget how much of a gift Alan Alda is to us all. His sharing/lessons are always relatable, applicable, and inspiring. Thank you, Big Think.
I could learn a thing or ten from this
Yes! Thank you Alan Alda, I finally have a verbal translation for why quite often the how is more interesting than the what.
There's a lot of wisdom here. Life's a journey full of obstacles. We're story tellers. To get people to listen, tell an engaging story. They'll remember.
Alan Alda tells a story about how important storytelling is. Brilliant
Such a clear old mind! His speech is so smooth, relaxing, and his brilliance is shinning. (i used image am i ;)
@TommyShlong
2 жыл бұрын
He has a great podcast! Also if you never saw MASH you need to, he's great I it
Thank you Alan Alda. You gave me a spark of an idea for my short story I wrote several years ago that lacked something to make it more engaging. It has been languishing for some time until just now!!
Fermat’s Last Theorem A book about how Andrew Wiles discovered the theorem as a child and spent the next 40 years solving it! And along the way, we learn fascinating insights about mathematics and how discoveries are made…
Alan, you are an excellent communicator. I was riveted to every word you said…especially the first three.
Mr. Alan Alda, you're one of the most fascinating people on this planet. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.
Thank you! Instantly applicable and powerful!
Great advice! There isn't a story I have ever connected with that did not have an obstacle or a struggle.
Wise and magnificent, thank you Mr. Alda. And Big Think!
It's not the goal that's important, but the journey.
Thanks, Alan. It reminds me of the story of the blind man on a blind horse. When challenged by his pals of telling the most scariest story, the main character conjured the tale of a blind man that was riding his blind horse back to his village, only to stray away the path towards a cliff face, and meet a horrible death once falling over. He stop the story as the half step at the edge was told, beating his friends in their contest of storytelling.
I did not know Alan Alda was doing such good work. I remember him clearly form the M.A.S.H, and have been a fan of his comic timing & dialogue delivery since then. What a wonderful artist. 👏😍
This is positively wonderful, i wish i could like it twice!
i love how all of his videos seem and sound like it's a conversation... .and as though he himself is geniunely invested and interested contently in it. not an assertive, ordered talk or smth like that... idk how to explain, it just feels that way..
Great ! Thank you very much.-
Bravissimo ...Mr Alda nailed it 👌
M.A.S.H. was the greatest story about a true story! Thanks Alan for the laughter and reality!
Thank you
Alan Alda is a good dude!
I LOVED him in Crimes & Misdemeanors!
YEAH with your videos I am learning english
Amazing videos.. content.. knowledge.. thanks Big Think! we need more like u ;)
Stories are the 1st tool to teach aka pass on important information.
But, Wait, How did he get to Toleto?
@MarkShaneHansen
6 жыл бұрын
Klinger probably gave him directions. After all, *Toledo is Klinger's hometown, so he should be able to help.
@mattramsdell3173
3 жыл бұрын
why would anyone want to go to toledo?
Fantastic!
He's of course totally right. Because a) he's right, and b) he's Alan Alda. So we've concluded he's right. However, now everyone has seen this, everyone is doing this. So American Idol, America's Got Talent, and all those other godforsaken shows have people come in who are not really talented, but have such a tear-jerking story you're guilt-tripped into voting for them. I mean, what kind of human being are you if you don't vote for the kid with the chicken who overcame leukemia? Still, there's no denying his point. I wish we could all weed through the bullshit some more and find the actual valuable stuff (both the hard facts AND the story that makes it great).
@ram29jackson
5 жыл бұрын
assuming the tear jerk stories are true to begin with
Love this! ❤
Awesome!
Hawkeye always was quite bright.
@MarkShaneHansen
6 жыл бұрын
I don't normally pay much attention to the names of speakers, so thanks for pointing this out. Despite finishing season 11 of M*A*S*H last week, I didn't recognize him. I know it's an old show, but going from that to this in a week messes with my head :).
On my way to Toledo my appendix burstand a whole bunch of Northerners from both New York and Michigan helped me because I'm from California true story
Summary: Lead with an engaging story before sharing the technical stuff or instead of giving a short, boring answer with no human value.
@kookiecastro8452
2 жыл бұрын
i dont get it, why the title is like that? so the good story is better if its toxic, than the plain Great Information
Alan Alda is an American treasure.
First of all, Mr. Alda, it is a great joy to see your face and to listen to the sound of the voice that brought such pleasure to millions in so many venues. Secondly, sir, is not the application of scientific method and the creation of story an act of free will? I take offense to others who marginalize what seems so fundamental to human nature. Third, in my working years, I was a terrible employee and suffered for having been outspoken, though privately with a supervisor. A better, less direct story might have been a better approach. And finally, I puttz with chisel and wood, and pen and paper. I have mastered neither, but your insights seem applicable to both of my hobbies and heightens my curiosity. Your gifts seem unending, Mr. Alada.
That's true
This guy just told me a great story
Interesting
So true! Did I ever tell you my story about "the BIG one that got away. . ."? lol
its funny how many new break throughs or everyday objects are created by accidents
@jonathangibson9098
7 жыл бұрын
Came here to say this.
Science itself is nested inside a story, the story of alchemy, the story of rebellion, the story of the savior. It would do many scientists a service to recall that.. so much philosophical confusion in the scientific community.
The obstacle is the way
A good story has obstacles. A better story shows the character or relationship transformation that results from those obstacles.
i like the water thing
Franz Kafka - An Imperial Message There are parallels between what Mr. Alda is telling us and what Kafka described.
Coool 👍👍
Could this be applied to the stories in books like the bibul and such and the peepul who believe them?
Great lesson in human psychology and very applicable for any type of marketing. Thanks!
This is the one thing I've always hated doing, so that sucks.
Wow, my live has gotten more advanced just by listening to a famous interesting experienced fellow human being's wise words. Awesome!
That was funny mister Alan
Fascinating. A story about a story, an explanation about the value of a story, a dramatic onstage demonstration of how to set up a story, and a practical example of how to apply a story to achieve a goal.
How do we distinguish between fictional obstacle and real obstacle.. I guess there we will need to have expertise of given topic.. it is true that common people are attracted towards good stories but it is also true common people are generally misled into wrong decisions..be it business (share market, consumer market, etc) or political or motivational market..everywhere.. expertise has it's own importance..its like "dont bullshit the bullshitter"🙂
Couse is more sticky? For media of sure. How body can follow mind...screw senses isn't means health?
Life is great awful great
Alan Alda has such a weird fascination with Toledo.
Sounded like Optimus prime was turning back into a truck in the background every time he started talking
Video: how to tell compelling stories. KZread: Beard club Ad!!
Hawkeye!
A story is like a sandwich, the middle is what gets in between the two ends and which ultimately makes the bite so delicious.
Do you *discover* thin glass, or *produce* thin glass?
Pour the water out. walk up to the mic. look at audience. "Some men just want to see the world burn"
@d0gsurfer
6 жыл бұрын
Drinks the water; sprints to deliver the life saving glass for the village’s new well.
@bobstone3386
6 жыл бұрын
Adrian Bräysy I like the way you think.
If the glass was two-dimensional, and the water looked like it was floating in air, imagine the gasps then.
Story-ception.
That not fair
Hello Hawkeye
Sounds great, but it's hard to tell stories when you have a boring life. My entire life feels like that empty glass. It seems like the essential ingredients you need are a destination and goals that you have reached, but I feel like a lack both. I haven't gotten anywhere that I want and I keep going down paths that lead nowhere. :/
@EzeICE
6 жыл бұрын
cxa011500 my friend the obstacles IS THE STORY. Not the place you want to go. It's always the process. And everyone has a story.
@MrGriff305
6 жыл бұрын
cxa011500 .. Maybe that's because you're the type of person who takes time to write lengthy complaints to strangers while otherwise offering no real insights. You seem to have an uncreative victim mentality. If you don't like your life, work hard to change it. Visualize what you want to do and do it. You might be forced to change paths at times, but never stop moving forward. It's not that complicated.
@ArchitectingHappiness
Жыл бұрын
@MrGriff305. What a jackass comment to make. Smh
GrandDad has the coolest hair in the whole world!!!!!!!!!!!
@mikew1332
7 жыл бұрын
He earned it.
Sales basics: make them feel the bullshit.
in the begining of the video i was like, "mehh", by the end, i was like "Thank you Sir! "
No wonder so many discoveries were by "accident"
How he got in Toledo? I need to know!
God story. Our real
Glass an atom layer thick is takeaway
a simpler verson woulve been intresting...
"The Life of "Si" "
If Alan Alda told me to carry a full glass of water across the stage, before i started id carefully drink some of the water outta the glass- without dribbling a drop- to make it easy to carry
Existential before conventional.
small object a
Do you know what is the problem . some pepol thinking knowing too much
Mastering the art of story telling is a beautiful thing! And it would boost my KZread channel a lot. I wish I'd be better at it!
@shinios4487
7 жыл бұрын
great videos but you might wanna turn the volume up.
Where is the like button?
Why does he sound so much like Richard Feynman?
Yes Barry Allen.
Hot lips Houlihan didn't give this man a chance...until he told a story
Am I the only one the finds that, no matter how good the story is, people don't know how to listen anymore?
Imagine if my name was George Santos
I though the FBI and Reddington couldnt disarm the bomb?
So basically "The devil is in the details."
The audience was riveted on the glass, whilst unsheathing their knives….
Today human being have one goal, that goal is to become "human " again and there are many obstacles that has been created by greed ! This is our interesting ! Story ,believe it or not!