Why Stories Matter - John Green (NerdCon: Stories 2015)

John Green explains why he is thankful for the power that stories have to release us from the prison of ourselves, to broaded our perspective, and to let us break out of our default viewpoints.
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NerdCon: Stories is an annual conference created to celebrate the institution of storytelling. Learn more at nerdcon.com
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[@isaucenow8352]

I like how the rest of the ( lets call them storytellers ) came prepared whith a script and everything and John was like "Well...I am a novelist...I can talk."

[@ClimbaRock5]

John Green, thank you for being John Green.

[@MitchellM929]

You're welcome

[@thefirstchapter6146]

John put so much of him in Aza from TATWD and it makes me so happy that he has.

[@themaskedninja763]

Something I love so damn much about John is that I *know* he is suffering from incredible anxiety in this moment. But he does it anyway, and he's AWESOME at it. He's nervous but he doesn't take the easy road: he doesn't tell Hank that, no, he will not speak at NerdCon. He speaks anyway. He has an important story to tell so he TELLS IT. Even though it terrifies him. You go girl.

[@sophie7412]

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[@ilikecoins9560]

If im asked to do something that makes me really nervous, it wont make me nervous until like a few minutes before i have to do said thing, and ill start freaking out

[@bandgeek9723]

Puff levels were high that day.

[@baileymchale1875]

I was literally about to type that. Thanks bandgeek9723

[@divergentfan222]

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[@brie7859]

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[@lars4ever]

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[@magenmack5918]

As someone who has been taught to think 'critically' and 'maturely' about a lot of topics, it seems true that others with similar and greater educational backgrounds are often so quick to judge escapist fiction with a much greater fervor than other works. So much of current art is often disregarded because it fails to line up with that of the past, but isn't that maybe the entire point? Art is such a personal yet widespread thing that remains connected to a time because we are, too. Thanks to John for being such a positive reflection of current artistic work. It's so invaluable.

[@Necr0lite]

+Magen Mack I completely agree. It's also particularly hilarious given that the stories that we (academically) study today were like straight up sex jokes or war stories in their time. Shakespeare was toilet humor wrapped in political commentary with a bow of sex jokes. Same for Chaucer, the Epic of Gilgamesh, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf, the list goes on.These are the works that warrant whole sections in libraries- (probably) millions of dead trees have been used to print critical work of Chaucer and Shakespeare alone. But if any of those stories were written today they'd be marked pulp fiction and almost anyone who looked at them with a scholarly eye would be laughed out of academia.

[@Mooseplatoon]

I was also taught to think in a critical and 'mature' way, and that's part of the reason I've always loved escapist fiction. No matter how far we as human beings try to escape reality our imaginations are trapped inside it, and we end up projecting a distorted reflection of it. Its there that a lot of people can think about life, love and loss without the burdens of a personal context, without need to worry about realism. It's a great way to learn about how we think when relatively unrestricted, and to bridge gaps between people who, in our reality, might see more differences than similarities. I think that's important, and it saddens me when people dismiss it as mindless frivolity.

[@april9586]

This talk is even better after reading "Turtles"

[@magicoA]

I love that fly down moment and that he caught it,good save John.

[@MeHeartTaylorSwift13]

John Green and I are scarily similar. Nerdfightia is one of my escapes and I couldn't be happier that nerdfighteria is a community that I am apart of.

[@YellowTissueBox]

He will be remembered as an intellectual full of compassion, hank will be remembered as a visionary, full of compassion. Who knew what you could do with a youtube channel and 2 very naughty boys.

[@ShannonRose99]

You can really see his inspiration for turtles all the way down in this

[@ClimbaRock5]

I also have to lock and relock my car. And my house. And often check the oven and the burners before I leave, even when I know I haven't used them that day. Same goes for the hair dryer and straightener. I call it "giving in to my crazy, just a little" because it appeases the obsessive thoughts.

[@Efflorescentey]

You lost the battle, but you won the war.

[@CharlieEvansShare4Care]

Prayers for John Green.

[@nehathejedi4962]

The part about the body is the inspiration for Aza Holmes in Turtles All the way diwn.

[@sylviaodhner]

I also find that I the books I like most are the ones that cause the most outrage. If people are talking about a book and being like "why is this book so popular? It's so bad!" I am likely to like it because apparently, I like bad books. That's where my particular tastes are.

[@oanabanana7873]

Sylvia Odhner You should read Fifty Shades of Grey, it's really bad

[@cristian_712]

I love watching this for the first time after having read ‘Turtles All the Way Down’

[@SpontaneousSierra]

As i'm watching this i keep thinking about Turtles All The Way Down. He put so much of his ideas in that book and it turned out amazing.

[@bextone4002]

I relate to almost every word he says, what a guy

[@nerdfightermeg]

I have never been so moved by a speech. I attended Nerdcon: Stories, and here is a link to my blog entry about watching this awesome speech: verymuchmeg.blogspot.com/2015/10/on-not-being-person-at-nerdconstories.html

[@bethanysmith8736]

So many connections to Turtles All the Way Down...2 years ago

[@Vellsant]

These videos make me really happy but also really sad that I couldn't be there. Hopefully I'll get to attend the Con one day.

[@allielang7689]

+Mandichu If you can go, you totally should! I went this year and it was so fun! It was definitely more low key than a lot of other cons, but I thought it was perfect!

[@joeleeming3075]

Great speech. Sad I wasn't there!

[@Efflorescentey]

KZbin: recommends Johns ted talk every few days since it was released, despite me watching it several times Also KZbin: keeps this GEM of a video all to itself

[@TheePinkExplosion]

This reflects turtles all the way down so much

[@Chakawm]

Very thought provoking, enjoyed it. Thank you

[@pigfarts13]

So much Turtles in this!

[@rehan8480]

John looks surprisingly good in this

[@facebren]

I know. People are so quick to judge. So I confidently tell them "just because I like it!" or "it's fun!" etc. I won't sit here trying to defend its value on whatever your scale is. Now, if you want to have a discussion on harmful messages, I'll be into that. (Also, I recognize that most things are not good or bad, but complex.)

[@lucassze9552]

That one guy who disliked the video.

[@FatmasterKY3]

NAYAHAHHHH JOHN IS AWESOME

[@isabellamoraschi1705]

Love love love

[@puppetexperiments7785]

What's with the editing glitch?

[@lifesymphony2024]

Have an idea for my research if i happen to do my phd. Don't wish to reveal it now. Don't know it works until i carry it out under an experts supervision.

[@s0relle]

Anyone else here because of a school assignment?

[@rowan4097]

No I actually search this stuff up in my free time.

[@1116leon]

Hank, see you on friday.

[@blablablubb9884]

Wasn't it invredibly hard to write about all of this and to give so much of yourself to Aza if you need story telling to escape from yourself? I tried to write a novel about my "little panic problem" and my insecurities, but thinking about it makes it even worse, so i had to stop

[@mercyortega5848]

John listens to night Vale?!!!

[@sambitsamal]

Just 56 comments! Assemble nerdfighters.

[@Vicky-zr1pb]

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[@nomad_geek]

🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢 🐢

[@sambitsamal]

Turtles all the way down.

[@ExploreLearnEnglishWithGeorge]

nice story, yep..that's the idea behind books, he got it right

[@randolpbelandres8440]

#givepewdshisdiamondplaybutton