The anecdotalist

8. The anecdotalist

Some anecdotes work well. Others, no matter how you formulate them do not. By trying them on different people we find certain ones are well received whilst others rouse little amusement or interest whatsoever. The shorter succinct ones are the best. The longer it takes the more effort required for people to hold back from yawning. Anecdotes come out in a manner like someone hitting the play button on a machine with zero thought required.

Years can pass before we discover that stories told to us were completely fabricated. We love fascinating and funny tales. Does it really matter that things were exaggerated if no one got hurt? A huge swath of entertainment is based on fiction. Films, books, programmes, theatre and so on, so why not discussions around the table too.