# Changing Timeless Stories By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-05-31 Timeless stories exist for a reason. They contain some fundamental observations about the world and our humanity. Sometimes these observations are brutal, and other times, they make us laugh. But their usefulness is undeniable. If they had no meaning, we wouldn't still share them today. So, what happens when we decide to update or change one of these thousand-year-old stories? If the change is only surface level, like changing characters' names, what they look like, or where they are from, there is little developmental impact. It doesn't matter what the little mermaid looks like; it just matters that the character's actions and motivation remain to propel forward the consistent story. However, if you begin to change their identities and motivations, you are telling a different story, and it is uncertain whether your new story will stand the test of time. In all likelihood, it won't stand up. These other stories have survived many cultural and systemic changes. Your new story may only represent a blip on the radar. That's not to say we should tell new stories. We must try. But recognize that conservatives will be angry about the changes, and progressives will get mad that the changes don't go far enough. But ask yourself what is essential about the story and what is the point of telling it. Is it merely an entertaining distraction, or does it reveal something about the nature of the universe worth remembering? Great stories move mountains because of the universal human experiences they capture. #### Related Items [[Storytelling]] [[Truth]] [[Beliefs]] [[Change]] [[Entertainment]] [[Purpose]] [[Conservative]] [[Progressive]]