The narrative compression of storytelling, especially in the movies, beguiles us with happy endings into forgetting that sustained stress is corrosive of feeling. It's the great deadener. Those moments of joyful release from terror are not so easily had.
The essence of storytelling, particularly in films, often leads us to anticipate happy conclusions that overshadow the persistent impact of stress on our emotions. This narrative compression simplifies complex experiences, making it easy to overlook how prolonged anxiety can diminish our capacity to truly feel and engage with life.
In Ian McEwan's "Enduring Love," he highlights that while we may enjoy the relief that comes from a well-crafted climax, the journey towards it involves considerable struggle. The fleeting moments of joy tend to mask the more profound, ongoing effects of fear and tension that we face, resulting in a disconnect from our deeper emotional realities.
