--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't necessarily think stories have…" description: "\"I don't necessarily think stories have functions any more than diamonds have functions, or the sky has a function... Stories exist. They keep us sane, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85a/neil-gaiman-29_believe_i-don-t-necessarily-think-stories-have-f_2358786.jpg" --- # I don't necessarily think stories have functions any more… ![“I don't necessarily think stories have functions any more than diamonds have functions, or the sky has a function... Stories exist. They keep us sane, I think. We tell each other stories, we believe stories. I love watching the slow rise of the urban legend. They're the stories that we use to…” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85a/neil-gaiman-29_believe_i-don-t-necessarily-think-stories-have-f_2358786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85a/neil-gaiman-29_believe_i-don-t-necessarily-think-stories-have-f_2358786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85a/neil-gaiman-29_believe_i-don-t-necessarily-think-stories-have-f_2358786.jpg) > “I don't necessarily think stories have functions any more than diamonds have functions, or the sky has a function... Stories exist. They keep us sane, I think. We tell each other stories, we believe stories. I love watching the slow rise of the urban legend. They're the stories that we use to explain ourselves to ourselves.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories have no practical function but are vital for mental health and self‑understanding. **In simple terms:** Stories keep us sane and explain ourselves. Key Takeaway Value and share stories. Themes creativity psychology culture Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative writing - education - community building Key Concepts narrative theory human cognition Questions to Reflect On - Why do humans gravitate toward stories? - How can stories aid personal growth? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diamond/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Function Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function-stories-1744362/) [Having fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-fun/) [Legends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legends/) [Sane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sane/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-exist-236308/) [Stories Functions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-functions-5768501/) [Stories Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-use-316198/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Think Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urban/) [Urban legends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urban-legends/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [“People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around. Stories exist independently of their players. If you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/people-think-that-stories-are-shaped-by-people-in-fact-it-s-the-other/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Novels function and the power of novels function because of their stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/novels-function-and-the-power-of-novels-function-because-of-their/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [There are characters in some short stories who exist as people, and there are other characters in different short stories who exist as purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-characters-in-some-short-stories-who-exist-as-people-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“A story unwritten is without beginning or end. But in its potential lies another story; and in the heartbeat before pen meets page, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/a-story-unwritten-is-without-beginning-or-end-but-in-its-potential/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [But that's what we all are-just stories. We only exist by how people remember us, by the stories we make of our lives. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/but-that-s-what-we-all-are-just-stories-we-only-exist-by-how-people/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Stories are living and dynamic. Stories exist to be exchanged. 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That world really only exists inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-beatriz/i-love-stories-that-exist-in-this-amped-up-personal-world-sort-of/) [Stephanie Beatriz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-beatriz/) > [I like stories that exist both in the naturalistic world and in our imaginative lives, films are so immersive in that sense, we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mckean/i-like-stories-that-exist-both-in-the-naturalistic-world-and-in-our/) [Dave McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mckean/) > [“Do ghosts exist? We do not know. Perhaps we can never really know. But yes, ghost stories do exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minakshi-chaudhry/do-ghosts-exist-we-do-not-know-perhaps-we-can-never-really-know-but/) [Minakshi Chaudhry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minakshi-chaudhry/) > [People need stories...we use stories to teach, to learn, to make sense of the world around us. As long as we need stories, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-chiaverini/people-need-stories-we-use-stories-to-teach-to-learn-to-make-sense-of/) [Jennifer Chiaverini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-chiaverini/) > [Sometimes I observe stuff I haven't been through and write about it. I used to walk my dog with these 50-year-olds, and they'd tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorja-smith/sometimes-i-observe-stuff-i-haven-t-been-through-and-write-about-it-i/) [Jorja Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorja-smith/) > [I think we create our world through stories. We use storytelling to escape or protect ourselves from the unimaginable and the horrible - from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-oppenheimer/i-think-we-create-our-world-through-stories-we-use-storytelling-to/) [Joshua Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-oppenheimer/) > [The human world is made of stories, not people. The people the stories use to tell themselves are not to be blamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/the-human-world-is-made-of-stories-not-people-the-people-the-stories/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Some stories, you use up. Others use you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/some-stories-you-use-up-others-use-you-up/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. 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If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't necessarily think stories have functions any more than diamonds have functions, or the sky has a function... Stories exist. They keep us sane, I think. We tell each other stories, we believe stories. I love watching the slow rise of the urban legend. 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