Consuming content has become second nature to us. We eat up a story, judge whether we liked it or not, and then go on with our lives. Even when we stop to discuss it, we often limit ourselves to the bare bones — who was in it and how well it was made. Once a story ends, we rarely stay with it long enough to ask what it did to us — or why.
It’s no wonder that everything’s increasingly getting made for our short attention spans. We’ve reduced stories to reactions instead of reflections.
Meaning in Stories is an invitation to think more slowly and speak more carefully about the stories we consume.
Who this is for
If you enjoy staying with a story after it ends and questioning your reaction rather than rating it, this website is for you. I’m here to clear your thinking and help you put your reaction into words. You’re welcome to discuss along or to even write an essay of your own.
This is not a place for quick takes or star rankings. If you read to keep up, to collect opinions, or to have your taste confirmed, you’ll likely get disappointed.
I welcome readers willing to pause, question their own reactions, and discuss them.
How I choose stories
To me, a good story is evergreen. It asks questions that humanity still struggles finding the answers to. It forces us to face an uncomfortable truth or a strong emotion. When I look for a story worth writing about, I’m looking for one I can learn something from, one that will make me a better human. To me, these are the stories we have to share.
A story like that can come in any genre, so you can expect plenty of variability. I might cover anything from an award-winning drama to a blockbuster superhero movie. Above all, I believe a story should be accessible without being simplistic.
Finally, I’ll cover more recent stories. You won’t find any reviews discussing cinematography, directors, or actors, but you will know which titles are worth thinking about.
Why it matters
Movie audiences are changing. Streaming platforms gather more people than a theatre. They serve us content on a silver platter so we can watch and scroll at the same time. We consume without thinking, ask without questioning, and move on without caring.
So, to quote one of my favorite picture books: “If you want things to change, you first have to change you”. I started this project to turn my mind back on and, hopefully, to inspire others to do the same. Thinking more deeply about stories can help with a surprising amount of skills, including pattern recognition, cause-and-effect reasoning, and empathy. These habits don’t stay confined to stories. They quietly shape how we think elsewhere.
About Me
I’m the person who used to love being asked “What did the author mean by this?”. And while yes, sometimes the author did just mean that the curtains were blue, considering the social and cultural moment in which a story is written reveals a whole other world that’s worth exploring.
Unsurprisingly and despite the advice of almost everyone around me, I dedicated a good portion of my education to English and American literature. And while I reveled in a substantial part of the compulsory reading, my preferred medium has always been visual.
I approach stories by looking past my initial reaction. I’m less interested in whether I liked something than in why it lingered. Over time, this has made me slower to judge and more curious about my own responses. Meaning in Stories is where I practice that habit and invite you to do the same.