I was listening to an interview with George Dawes Green yesterday on NPR when he said something I’ve noticed without ever really being conscious of it. The time one person can speak uninterrupted in a conversation is getting shorter. Talking specifically about New York City, he said that people have too much ego and/or testosterone to let anyone else speak for more than 12 or 13 seconds. Think about the last time you were hanging out in a bar or at a dinner party, how often can one person tell a story that lasts five or more minutes. I tested this (unscientifically, of course) at lunch yesterday when, at the picnic table next to me, I noticed that the stories people were telling each other were, at most four or five sentences long (and incredibly stupid).

The natural reaction is to blame Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and everything else old people don’t understand. I’m sure all those things play a part but I also think that the art of storytelling is being lost. People just don’t have ability to tell good stories anymore. It happens to me at least once a day a where someone tries to tell me an story that’s longer than the social norm and they bungle it completely by including too much detail where it wasn’t needed or by completely foregoing any sort or flow or rhythm to their story.

If you’re looking to rekindle your ability to tell stories or just want to listen to a good one, I’d suggest checking out George Dawes Green’s website/podcast/live event called The Moth. The name comes from Green’s inspiration: a moth circling the kitchen lamp while people told stories when he was a kid.