The Storytelling Animal

Gottschall narrates a fictional story set in 1796 in a cellar beneath Bethlem Hospital in London, where a gang led by Bill the King operates a sinister machine called the air loom. This device manipulates people’s thoughts and actions through gases derived from repulsive materials. James Tilly Matthews, a spectator in the House of Commons, discovers that the Air Loom Gang is using this device to manipulate the government. As Matthews is affected by the machine, losing his ability to speak properly, he stands up in a government session to accuse the officials of treason. Through this narrative, the chapter illustrates how the human mind constructs elaborate narratives to make sense of complex situations.

The Crazed of the Craft

James Tilly Matthews, once a patient at Bethlem Hospital, believed he was the target of a vast conspiracy involving an air loom controlled by the nefarious Air Loom Gang. His delusions were documented by his doctor, John Haslam, in Illustrations of Madness, marking one of the first detailed accounts of paranoid schizophrenia. Matthews’s case exemplifies the fine line between creative storytelling and “madness,” with his elaborate conspiracy theories mirroring the narratives found in popular fiction. The chapter discusses the historical observation that high creativity often coexists with mental illness, as explored by Kay Redfield Jamison in her book Touched with Fire, which links bipolar disorder and artistic creativity. This connection raises questions about whether creative pursuits exacerbate or even trigger mental health issues, though genetic studies suggest a hereditary component that may contribute to both creativity and psychiatric conditions.

Splitting the Brain

In 1962, neurosurgeon Joseph Bogen performed an experimental procedure on a severely epileptic patient by severing the corpus callosum, the nerve bundle connecting the brain’s hemispheres, to alleviate his symptoms. This surgery led to significant insights into the separate functions of the hemispheres. Michael Gazzaniga’s subsequent research found that the left hemisphere is particularly adept at creating narratives to make sense of the world. Through experiments with split-brain patients, he demonstrated that the left hemisphere, even in the absence of complete information, compulsively generates coherent explanations for behaviors and decisions, a process he termed “the interpreter.” This function highlights the human tendency to construct stories and rationalize experiences.

Sherlock Holmes Syndrome

The chapter likens the human propensity for narrative construction to a “Sherlock Holmes” within the brain, particularly in the left hemisphere, which deduces stories from minimal data. This part of the brain, the “interpreter,” often crafts detailed backstories from sparse clues, an ability that, while impressive, can lead to errors and misconceptions. This syndrome is portrayed to underscore the human brain’s preference for coherence over factual accuracy, which often leads to constructed narratives that may not align with reality.

Geometric Rape

The human brain’s inclination to find patterns and create stories is further explored through an experiment by psychologists Fritz Heider and Marianne Simmel, who showed participants a film of geometric shapes moving in random patterns. Despite the absence of any explicit narrative, viewers often ascribed complex intentions and emotions to these shapes, crafting detailed stories about their interactions. This example illustrates a deep-seated narrative impulse, which applies not just to visual stimuli but also to how humans interpret auditory cues and other sensory information.

It’s Just a Flesh Wound

The chapter discusses the phenomenon of confabulation, where individuals create fictitious yet believable explanations for their behaviors or experiences. This storytelling capability is not only evident in pathological conditions but is a common feature of normal psychological functioning. The brain often fills in gaps in understanding with fabricated narratives to maintain a sense of coherence and order, as demonstrated in psychological experiments where subjects rationalize their decisions or actions in ways that belie the actual influences on their behavior.

A Cursed Rage for Order

The chapter concludes with a discussion on how pattern-detection and narrative-construction abilities lead to the formulation of conspiracy theories. These theories often weave complex events into coherent and emotionally satisfying stories that explain uncertain or threatening aspects of the world. While these narratives can be compelling and provide a sense of understanding, they often distort reality, illustrating how the storytelling impulse can lead to significant misconceptions and societal consequences.