Tales of the Ethnosphere

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"The key point," he continues, "is actually an optimistic observation because it suggests that if human beings are the agents of cultural destruction, we can also be the facilitators of cultural survival. It's a matter of choices. And choices happen on a nation-state basis when enough people within the nation believe that the orientation should shift."

Davis and his team use their access to National Geographic's huge magazine, television, and online audience -- 250 million people worldwide -- to educate and, they hope, influence people's choices by increasing their awareness of other cultures. The most successful approach, they have found, is not to devastate people with depressing statistics or seemingly hopeless situations. Instead they entice audiences into cultures so intricate and fascinating that just to learn about them "is to remember that the human imagination is vast, fluid, and infinite in its capacity for social and spiritual invention," Davis says.

"We don't believe that polemics are persuasive or that politicians will lead the way," he explains. "But we do believe that storytelling can change the world." He hopes that by hearing the stories of the ethnosphere, more people will realize "that the world in which you were born is just one model of reality. These other cultures aren't failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit."

I am beginning to understand why storytelling, which at first seemed to me a subtle approach to social change, is actually a very effective tool. The power of a story seems to lie in the impact it can have on our minds, opening us to perspectives that we may not have gained through our own lives.

Davis points out that, while "none of us knows how change actually happens," there is plenty of evidence that societies are transforming, and quickly. "We're terribly impatient," he says, "but in fact social change happens at an incredible rate. Forty years ago, just getting people to stop throwing garbage out of a car window was considered a great environmental victory. Nobody spoke of the biosphere or biodiversity -- these were terms that were limited to the vocabulary of scientists. Now they're part of the vernacular of schoolchildren. We're already seeing a turnaround in terms of respect for indigenous people. Look at the creation of [the native-ruled Canadian Arctic territory of] Nunavut, a landmark in self-government for the Inuit.

"Or look at the role of women," Davis continues, "the opportunities that were available for your grandmother, your mother, you, your daughter. It's a lightning change! Look at attitudes toward homosexuality, perhaps the most dramatic turnaround of all. In Canada, they've just announced a remarkable policy of allowing same-sex marriages. Do you realize what that represents in terms of a shift in perceptions about a phenomenon that has been taboo in this society for generations?"

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