Welcome to my first Mirror!

My name is Rodrigo Portaro, founder at Echoaland, co-founder at Alma DAO, storytelling expert, writer, and a rational optimist about blockchain, AI, and the future of humanity. I don't write often, but when I do, I will hope to bring something worth your time.

** **As I couldn’t find better words to describe what Robert McKee did say in his book “Story,” I’m going to use his words to present a philosophical problem:

“Day after day we seek an answer to the ageless question Aristotle posed in Ethics: How should a human being lead his life? But the answer eludes us, hiding behind a blur of racing hours as we struggle to fit our means to our dreams, fuse ideas with passion, and turn desire into reality. We’ve swept along on a risk-ridden shuttle through time.

If we pull back to grasp pattern and meaning, life, like a Gestalt, does flips: first serious, then comic; static, frantic; meaningful, meaningless. Momentous world events are beyond our control, while personal events, despite all efforts to keep our hands on the wheel, more often than not control us.

Traditionally humankind has sought the answer to Aristotle’s question from the four wisdoms—philosophy, science, religion, art—taking insight from each to bolt together a livable meaning.

But today who reads Hegel or Kant without an exam to pass? Science, once the great explicator, garbles life with complexity and perplexity. Who can listen without cynicism to economists, sociologists, politicians? Religion, for many, has become an empty ritual that masks hypocrisy. As our faith in traditional ideologies diminishes, we turn to the source we still believe in: the art of story.”

[…] the story arts have become humanity’s prime source of inspiration, as it seeks to order chaos and gain insight into life. Our appetite for story is a reflection of the profound human need to grasp the patterns of living, not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience. In the words of playwright Jean Anouilh, “Fiction gives life its form”.”

- McKee, Robert. Story (p. 10 to 12). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Well, the ageless question of Aristotle can be unfolded in so many other questions, either complex or superficial.

• Should I quit my job?

• Should I let my baby cry?

• Should I get a dog?

• Should I fear death?

• Should I do cardio every day?

But make no mistake. Stories are not THE answer. Stories don’t tell us what we should or not do. Great stories only make very clear what it is, and then the audience decides what to do.

Society, in general, is slowly waking up to what a corrupt world where we live in. The forces of society are so titanic that culture, economics, politics, and AI are too huge to be led anywhere. It has its power and is constantly evolving and transforming into something else. Those forces lead human beings and they will always struggle to make sense of them.

The hard truth is there is no intrinsic meaning in life. Saying that isn’t the same thing as saying that life is meaningless. But, as the existentialist used to teach, you have to find your project, you have to find what gets you up in the morning, what is your purpose in your life. You must give your life meaning, and you need to do it for yourself. If you wait for other people to do it for you, you will live an invalid life - other people’s lives. A problem that is universal and eternal: finding meaning in life.

When we find meaning, it doesn’t last forever. Finding meaning is a lifetime challenge. As the world and we evolve, our perception of life changes. If everything changes, we need new, fresh, brilliant stories. An example of that is the advent of the internet. It was fascinating, and as with any new revolutionary technology, humans needed time to understand what it means to live with it.

Only today can we see more clearly how the internet has become a mirror for human nature broadcasted to the world. The internet allowed so many great things to be born and rise, and at the same time, incentivized the “dark side” of human nature to show up and grow fast - pornography, cruelty, abuse of power, intolerance… out in the world.

However, I believe that all of it can become a good thing. The truth is coming out gradually, and people will need to face the realities they denied throughout history. Even knowing that is more noise in the world than ever, many things that were hidden in the shadows now have lights on them, and we can see what it is, and have the possibility to find meaning in things that we didn’t find before. We can learn from it and evolve as individuals and as humanity. Humanity will need to change the way they think and behave. What led humans to this point is not what will lead to the future. Despite the cliché, we are transitioning to a New Era. We hope for an Era of much more collaboration, love, and many things that matter.

That’s the reason why we need new stories.

“Stories are necessary because life is not enough - Rodrigo Portaro”

We mentioned that life has no intrinsic meaning, but there is suffering. Suffering is very real. Human beings suffer. Therefore, anything that a person can do to alleviate the suffering of others is a good thing, a positive thing, and a meaningful thing.

Stories do exactly that.

They alleviate suffering because great suffering comes from confusion or not understanding things… “I don’t know why,” “Who am I?” “Why is this thing happening to me?”.

Stories bring order to chaos and insight. Stories are equipment for living. Stories are metaphors for life. They help us to live.

In other words, Stories are what make life livable.

Great stories have the power to connect humans and drive us to get together, collaborate, co-create, and build communities.

When we hear a story that resonates with us, we feel a sense of belonging and a desire to share that experience with others. This is why storytelling has been an essential part of human culture since the beginning of history. It is a way to share our experiences, values, and hopes for the future. Stories bring meaning to the individual but also to communities.

Therefore, the most powerful and strong communities start and involve ONLY universal values and a clear story about the future, showing how this community can move people to find meaning and accomplish amazing things together.

Powerful communities with great stories drive innovation and push humanity forward.

Look at some of the greatest achievements in human history, and you will find that they were driven by a sense of purpose and a shared vision of the future. From the moon landing to eradicating smallpox, from the Bible to Wikipedia, From Italian Renascence to the Internet. These accomplishments were made possible by people coming together around a common goal, around powerful stories.

But what about the future?

Today, and hopefully more intensively in the future, communities will be more powerful than ever through blockchain and the progressive decentralization of markets. However, it doesn't substitute the need for a great story, universal values, community, and common goals.

In my opinion, blockchain only reinforces the importance of having a great story to tell.

As we move toward a more decentralized world, where power is distributed across networks rather than concentrated in the hands of a few, the stories we tell will become even more critical.

Stories will be the only glue that holds us together, the foundation of our shared values, and the inspiration for our collective action.

In conclusion, the art of storytelling is an essential tool for helping us lead fulfilling lives. It is what brings the community together and what keeps us together in the long term.

Storytelling is our past, our present, and our future.

If you enjoyed it, subscribe.

If you care about great content, collect.

Welcome to my first Mirror!

My name is Rodrigo Portaro, founder at Echoaland, co-founder at Alma DAO, storytelling expert, writer, and a rational optimist about blockchain, AI, and the future of humanity. I don't write often, but when I do, I will hope to bring something worth your time.

** **As I couldn’t find better words to describe what Robert McKee did say in his book “Story,” I’m going to use his words to present a philosophical problem:

“Day after day we seek an answer to the ageless question Aristotle posed in Ethics: How should a human being lead his life? But the answer eludes us, hiding behind a blur of racing hours as we struggle to fit our means to our dreams, fuse ideas with passion, and turn desire into reality. We’ve swept along on a risk-ridden shuttle through time.

If we pull back to grasp pattern and meaning, life, like a Gestalt, does flips: first serious, then comic; static, frantic; meaningful, meaningless. Momentous world events are beyond our control, while personal events, despite all efforts to keep our hands on the wheel, more often than not control us.

Traditionally humankind has sought the answer to Aristotle’s question from the four wisdoms—philosophy, science, religion, art—taking insight from each to bolt together a livable meaning.

But today who reads Hegel or Kant without an exam to pass? Science, once the great explicator, garbles life with complexity and perplexity. Who can listen without cynicism to economists, sociologists, politicians? Religion, for many, has become an empty ritual that masks hypocrisy. As our faith in traditional ideologies diminishes, we turn to the source we still believe in: the art of story.”

[…] the story arts have become humanity’s prime source of inspiration, as it seeks to order chaos and gain insight into life. Our appetite for story is a reflection of the profound human need to grasp the patterns of living, not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience. In the words of playwright Jean Anouilh, “Fiction gives life its form”.”

- McKee, Robert. Story (p. 10 to 12). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Well, the ageless question of Aristotle can be unfolded in so many other questions, either complex or superficial.

• Should I quit my job?

• Should I let my baby cry?

• Should I get a dog?

• Should I fear death?

• Should I do cardio every day?

But make no mistake. Stories are not THE answer. Stories don’t tell us what we should or not do. Great stories only make very clear what it is, and then the audience decides what to do.

Society, in general, is slowly waking up to what a corrupt world where we live in. The forces of society are so titanic that culture, economics, politics, and AI are too huge to be led anywhere. It has its power and is constantly evolving and transforming into something else. Those forces lead human beings and they will always struggle to make sense of them.

The hard truth is there is no intrinsic meaning in life. Saying that isn’t the same thing as saying that life is meaningless. But, as the existentialist used to teach, you have to find your project, you have to find what gets you up in the morning, what is your purpose in your life. You must give your life meaning, and you need to do it for yourself. If you wait for other people to do it for you, you will live an invalid life - other people’s lives. A problem that is universal and eternal: finding meaning in life.

When we find meaning, it doesn’t last forever. Finding meaning is a lifetime challenge. As the world and we evolve, our perception of life changes. If everything changes, we need new, fresh, brilliant stories. An example of that is the advent of the internet. It was fascinating, and as with any new revolutionary technology, humans needed time to understand what it means to live with it.

Only today can we see more clearly how the internet has become a mirror for human nature broadcasted to the world. The internet allowed so many great things to be born and rise, and at the same time, incentivized the “dark side” of human nature to show up and grow fast - pornography, cruelty, abuse of power, intolerance… out in the world.

However, I believe that all of it can become a good thing. The truth is coming out gradually, and people will need to face the realities they denied throughout history. Even knowing that is more noise in the world than ever, many things that were hidden in the shadows now have lights on them, and we can see what it is, and have the possibility to find meaning in things that we didn’t find before. We can learn from it and evolve as individuals and as humanity. Humanity will need to change the way they think and behave. What led humans to this point is not what will lead to the future. Despite the cliché, we are transitioning to a New Era. We hope for an Era of much more collaboration, love, and many things that matter.

That’s the reason why we need new stories.

“Stories are necessary because life is not enough - Rodrigo Portaro”

We mentioned that life has no intrinsic meaning, but there is suffering. Suffering is very real. Human beings suffer. Therefore, anything that a person can do to alleviate the suffering of others is a good thing, a positive thing, and a meaningful thing.

Stories do exactly that.

They alleviate suffering because great suffering comes from confusion or not understanding things… “I don’t know why,” “Who am I?” “Why is this thing happening to me?”.

Stories bring order to chaos and insight. Stories are equipment for living. Stories are metaphors for life. They help us to live.

In other words, Stories are what make life livable.

Great stories have the power to connect humans and drive us to get together, collaborate, co-create, and build communities.

When we hear a story that resonates with us, we feel a sense of belonging and a desire to share that experience with others. This is why storytelling has been an essential part of human culture since the beginning of history. It is a way to share our experiences, values, and hopes for the future. Stories bring meaning to the individual but also to communities.

Therefore, the most powerful and strong communities start and involve ONLY universal values and a clear story about the future, showing how this community can move people to find meaning and accomplish amazing things together.

Powerful communities with great stories drive innovation and push humanity forward.

Look at some of the greatest achievements in human history, and you will find that they were driven by a sense of purpose and a shared vision of the future. From the moon landing to eradicating smallpox, from the Bible to Wikipedia, From Italian Renascence to the Internet. These accomplishments were made possible by people coming together around a common goal, around powerful stories.

But what about the future?

Today, and hopefully more intensively in the future, communities will be more powerful than ever through blockchain and the progressive decentralization of markets. However, it doesn't substitute the need for a great story, universal values, community, and common goals.

In my opinion, blockchain only reinforces the importance of having a great story to tell.

As we move toward a more decentralized world, where power is distributed across networks rather than concentrated in the hands of a few, the stories we tell will become even more critical.

Stories will be the only glue that holds us together, the foundation of our shared values, and the inspiration for our collective action.

In conclusion, the art of storytelling is an essential tool for helping us lead fulfilling lives. It is what brings the community together and what keeps us together in the long term.

Storytelling is our past, our present, and our future.

If you enjoyed it, subscribe.

If you care about great content, collect.