Storyteller Spotlight
Peter Laughter
Peter is a brilliant oral storyteller, who believes that the medium of storytelling is all about forging connections with fellow human beings - by creating a shared experience between people in the same space and time. He treasures one of the times he competed at a Moth Story Slam, where he met a young storyteller "Carlos" who was shaking with nerves. Although the other storytellers were technically better, Carlos won the slam. Peter was struck by that young storyteller's courage, vulnerability, and vital need to share his story with the world.
Peter graciously answered two sets of questions, so that we could provide as much useful info to our readers as possible. Under Q+A are his answers to the "Proust" Questionnaire we ask all of our spotlight stars, and a second set of questions about storytelling right here.
Q&A
Q. On what occasion do you lie?
A. I am pretty good at deluding myself. Particulary about my ability to get things done before I need to go somewhere. I really try to tell the truth with others.
Q. What is your favorite journey?
A. One where I don’t know what is going to happen.
Q. Which living person do you most despise?
A. So the list is short, but I am really trying to see people I find challenging as misinformed, operating from a motivation I don’t understand, or impacted by forces that are larger than a situation. That being said, I regularly yell at the radio about the bone headed decisions of many politicians.
Q, Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
A. Um… I say it a lot when I am nervous.
Q. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
A. I tend to brag… it is a symptom of my insecurity. So both of those.
Q. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
A. Bragging as a result of insecurity… I see myself in it and it drives me nuts.
Q. Which living person do you most admire?
A. It’s usually the last person I was inspired by. I saw Jumaane Williams and Nina Turner speak last night… They are pretty awesome. My hero was my brother, Ed Stancik. He was the best man I knew. We were matched up when I was 9 by Big Brothers/Big Sisters and over the years we became real brothers. He died in 2002. My daughter, Eddy, was named after him. I miss him every day.
Q. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
A. Who am I to judge the virtues of others? I am not to crazy for righteousness but is that a virtue?
Q. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
A. I am a balding 50 year old man… I have had to come to terms with my body least I melt into a puddle of insecurity. I would love to loose my belly but…
Q. What is the quality or characteristic you most like in a man?
A. The privilege! People always assume I am much more competent than I actually am.
Q. What is the quality or characteristic you most like in a woman?
A. I don’t think it is a uniquely feminine quality but I think women are more culturally prone to collaboration. I think we need more of that in this world.
Q. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
A. My wife, my daughter, my bike, chocolate.
Q. When and where were you happiest?
A. Telling stories, wandering in a new place, sharing a moment of connection with a stranger.
Q. Which talent would you most like to have?
A. I wish I could fly.
Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
A. I am building a new company and I forgot how hard startups are. I am looking forward to passing this phase. I wish I was more organized… but dyslexia (which is also a superpower.)
Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
A. While on the board of a Quaker school in Brooklyn I worked as part of a team that solved a massive disagreement with the community n a collaborative manner. The solutions we came up with rose out of deep listening an interest in the other. We ended up with an agreement that was vastly superior than anything that would have come up out from one side or the other. I've been trying to replicate that profound sense of collaboration ever since.
Q. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, who or what would it be?
A. I am hoping to evolve into a higher plane of existence.
Q. What is your most treasured possession?
A. My bike
Q. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
A. Resentment
Q. What is your favorite occupation?
A. Storyteller!
Q. What is your most marked characteristic?
A. My wife tells me I have a great laugh and I am highly empathetic.
Q. What do you most value in your friends?
A, Honest, caring, vulnerability, fierce love.
Q. Who are your favorite writers?
A. John Steinbeck and Cormac McCarthy
Q. What is your greatest regret?
A. When I was 19 years old, I went out drinking with my older brother. I had too much to drink, and he put me in a cab. The cab driver was a Rastafarian guy named Muhammad Ali. He suggested that we steal the cab and drive to California. I was convinced that we'd end up somewhere in Ohio, broke, out of gas, and me with a horrible hangover. I didn't do it and to this day I regret it.
Q. What is your motto?
A. We are, all of us, woven together by the threads of our stories. Tell yours well and connect with those who matter most.
Paul Zak
Full disclosure: I’m a shameless, nerdy, Paul Zak fangirl. In 2013, Paul, a neuroscientist, changed my life with his short video, Ben, confirming the profound link between storytelling, empathy and oxytocin. With that epiphany in hand, I went on to teach 1000+ college students how to tell their stories to connect with others. Paul has gone on to write 3 world-altering books on the power of storytelling (The Moral Molecule, The Trust Factor, and Immersion) and change the very underpinnings of organizational success. ULUstory is beyond thrilled to be using technology he created to measure the actual potency of stories and other communication. Thank you, Paul, for it all! - Deb
Paul has been on a quest to understand the neuroscience of human connection, human happiness, and effective teamwork. His academic lab and companies he has started develop and deploy neuroscience technologies to solve real problems faced by real people
Website: https://pauljzak.com/
Q&A
Q. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A. A trip with my kids
Q. What is your greatest fear?
A. Not being curious about something important
Q. On what occasion do you lie?
A. When my wife asks how her clothing looks
Q. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
A. Temperance
Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
A. Having people who love me
Q. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, who or what would it be?
A. A gorilla
Q. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
A. Loss of a loved one
Q. What is your most marked characteristic?
A. Curiosity
Q. What do you most value in your friends?
A. Curiosity
Q. Who are your favorite writers?
A. Ranier Maria Rilke, Stephen Pressfield, Matt Ridley, Erik Larson
Q. Who are your heroes in real life?
A. First responders
Q. How would you like to die?
A. Fast while i'm going fast
Q. What is your motto?
A. LOVE+