The Science Of Storytelling With Will Storr - TWMJ #1027
Release Date: 03/15/2026
Human Agency With Marcus Fontoura - TWMJ #1038
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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The Value Of Uncertainty With Simone Stolzoff - TWMJ #1037
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1037 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a moment when certainty has become both a cultural obsession and a commercial product, is asking a far more uncomfortable question: what if the real skill is learning how to live without it? A journalist whose work has appeared in publications like and author of the bestselling book , Simo has built his work around examining the hidden psychological contracts shaping modern life… especially our increasingly tangled relationship with work, ambition and identity. His new book, , pushes that...
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Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Modern Marketing With MichaelAaron Flicker - TWMJ #1035
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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The Business Of Culture And Art With Douglas Woodham - TWMJ #1034
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1034 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when the lines between culture, commerce and identity feel increasingly blurred, few people understand how value is actually constructed… and reconstructed… better than . A former President of the Americas at and a longtime advisor through his firm , Doug brings a rare dual lens to the conversation… equal parts economist and art obsessive. With a PhD in economics and decades spent inside the machinery of the global art market, he has seen firsthand how artists move from obscurity to icon...
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Revolutionizing Humanity And Tech With Pablos Holman - TWMJ #1033
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1033 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). We spent the last twenty-five years calling software “technology,” which was convenient, profitable and just a little bit delusional. Apps got smarter. Feeds got stickier. Ads got creepier. Dashboards got dashboards. Meanwhile, the real world kept asking harder questions. How do we produce enough clean energy for eight billion people? How do we build things again? How do we manufacture without waste? How do we use AI for science, not just better chatbots and faster slop? has spent his career living...
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Unlocking Creativity And Productivity With Natalie Nixon - TWMJ #1032
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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New Business Transformations With Joseph Pine - TWMJ #1031
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Thinking At The Edge Of What's Possible With Avinash Kaushik - TWMJ #1030
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Navigating The Near Future With David Armano - TWMJ #1029
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1029 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). These days, technology feels both familiar… and completely unrecognizable. Few voices bring the kind of clarity and grounded perspective that does. A longtime digital strategist, advisor, self-proclaimed futurist and friend, David has spent decades at the front lines of transformation… helping organizations navigate everything from the rise of social media to the mobile-first revolution, and now the seismic shift of artificial intelligence. In his current role at , he works directly with enterprises...
info_outlineWelcome to episode #1027 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).
Will Storr is an award-winning author, journalist and storytelling researcher whose work explores one of the most powerful forces shaping human behavior… the stories we tell ourselves about the world. Over the course of a career that blends psychology, neuroscience, investigative journalism and narrative craft, Will has become one of the most compelling voices examining how stories shape identity, belief and culture. His bestselling books include The Science of Storytelling, Selfie: How We Became So Self-Obsessed And What It’s Doing To Us, and The Status Game, each offering a deeper look at the hidden forces driving human motivation and social behavior. In his latest book, A Story Is A Deal - How To Use The Science Of Story To Motivate And Persuade, Will explores how storytelling operates as a powerful psychological transaction… a kind of deal between storyteller and audience that shapes what we believe, who we trust and how we act. Drawing on research from neuroscience and psychology alongside examples that range from ancient rituals to modern brand campaigns, Will shows how narratives influence everything from the leaders we follow to the products we buy. In this conversation, Will explores why people so often believe stories before they believe facts, how identity and status shape the narratives we embrace, and why character-driven storytelling remains the most powerful way to influence human behavior. At the same time, he wrestles with the darker side of narrative… the way stories can fuel misinformation, reinforce tribal identities and manipulate audiences when used without care. As artificial intelligence begins to play a role in creating and distributing stories, the conversation also turns to questions of authenticity, creativity and the future of narrative itself. I’m a huge fan of Will’s work and it was truly a honor to host him. Enjoy the conversation…
- Running time: 54:58.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
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- Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel.
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- Here is my conversation with Will Storr.
- A Story Is A Deal - How To Use The Science Of Story To Motivate And Persuade.
- The Science of Storytelling.
- Selfie: How We Became So Self-Obsessed And What It’s Doing To Us.
- The Status Game.
- Will’s other books.
- Follow Will on LinkedIn.
- Follow Will on Instagram.
- Follow Will on X.
Chapters:
(00:00) - Introduction to Storytelling and Its Significance.
(02:47) - The Power of Story in Belief Systems.
(05:43) - The Role of Story in Climate Change Narratives.
(08:56) - Navigating Complex Conversations and Identity.
(11:45) - Storytelling as a Business Tool.
(15:41) - Consciousness and Story: An Indivisible Connection.
(18:18) - Persuasion vs. Manipulation in Storytelling.
(20:29) - AI and the Future of Storytelling.
(27:29) - The Emergence of AI-Generated Content.
(29:36) - The Emotional Connection to Art.
(31:31) - The Future of Cultural Art and AI.
(32:54) - AI’s Role in Creative Writing.
(36:35) - The Formula of Storytelling.
(40:39) - The Impact of AI on Writing Quality.
(44:14) - The Science of Storytelling.
(49:41) - The Role of Character in Business Narratives.
(56:34) - Understanding Religion as a Status Game.