On a Spectrum: Verbal Skills

There are verbal people and nonverbal people. Verbal people like to tell stories and talk about everything. Nonverbal people want to sit around and do nothing or run around doing everything. Most people fall on a spectrum from verbal to nonverbal with some at the height of verbal acuity and some literally nonverbal. I do not count deaf people as nonverbal as their language is deep and expressive. It is more a matter of personality that one is inclined more or less towards verbal acumen and communication. Genetics and environment play a major role. The only role most likely.

 With genetics determining the internal possibilities and the environment determining the external possibilities. As they mix throughout life one develops into a being capable of affecting others and directing one's own life as a director directs although limited by predetermined genetic boundaries. Fortunately, as one gains more resources one can also start directing their environment.

Back to the matter at hand. Those that are higher on the verbal scale help to reinforce that personality trait in the population by encouraging other communicators with attention, validation or another engagement type. Verbal acuity has been selected for in humans, and most likely with other species because it can greatly increase survivability. Lessons about how to live in the world can be passed onto the next generation early enough to give them a leg up on their peers.

If storytelling has been used as a tool for survival for thousands of years, then it will definitely be rewarded in society, at least at some level. Even dictators have to tell those around them a story about how to live.

In less violent societies storytellers use art to express their life plans. Their guide to happiness or success or whatever it is. We are wired to tell everyone what we know about the world and some are better than others. Many types of intelligences have to come together to be considered truly wise and the verbal skill is one that makes it easier to get noticed and understood. With the right words, others will follow, obey or understand.