Throughline Winter Book Club: The Story of Us?
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Dec 18, 2025 Tamim Ansary, an author and former textbook editor, delves into the captivating idea that history itself is a crafted narrative. He discusses how societies depend on shared stories to process information and maintain power, and highlights the importance of a global perspective in our interconnected world. With a bicultural background, he reflects on how myths shape group identities and the challenges of revising narratives. Tamim poses vital questions about what could unify humanity, emphasizing that collective projects can help forge shared myths.
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Textbook Editing Sparked Big Patterns
- Tamim Ansary began as a textbook editor and read histories across eras, spotting patterns.
- That work led him to connect disparate events and conceive a single human story.
Narratives Are Societies' Processing Engine
- Narratives let societies process incoming data and keep functioning.
- When a narrative fails, previously ignored facts resurface and social order can fracture.
Bicultural Origins Shaped His View
- Tamim Ansary grew up with an Afghan father and American mother and lived in Afghanistan until 16.
- That bicultural upbringing made him see cultural narratives as constructs rather than fixed realities.