The Need for Narratives

Neal Koblitz writes in the Chronicle:

The common element in all of this is knowing how to tell a story. Contrary to popular misconceptions about science and technology, a good piece of technical work is not a disembodied sequence of formulas and calculations, but rather is part of a narrative that has a long plot line and a large cast of characters. [...] Story-telling is a fundamental part of being human, from the time we are little children.

I couldn't agree more. The ability to weave a compelling story through a presentation or journal article makes a truly memorable one stand out from the run-of-the-mill kind.

You should check out the rest of the opinion for why STEM majors need grounding in the humanities.