Why We Use Stories to Illustrate Rules

Rules alone are too abstract to be meaningful without context. Stories provide narrative scaffolding that helps us remember a rule, understand why it exists, when it applies, and what happens if it’s followed or broken. This is true in law, ethics, religion, education, and even everyday social norms.

Rules Are Abstract, Stories Make Them Real

A rule like “Take care of your friends” is just a dry statement. But when you add a story, the rule comes to life.

In That’s Just Wrong!, there's a case where three tired boys drive to a lake house, and one passenger decides to sleep instead of helping the driver stay awake—leading to an accident. Suddenly, the abstract rule isn’t just words—it’s a moral and legal problem that players must grapple with.

This is why legal cases, fables, and historical examples make rules stick better than just listing laws or moral codes.

Stories Show the Gray Areas of Rules

Rules are often black and white, but real life is messy. Stories help us explore edge cases where rules don’t apply neatly.

Take the prohibition against texting while driving—a clear and widely accepted rule. But what about sending a text to a driver, knowing they will check it while driving?

This case from That’s Just Wrong! presents a nuanced situation where players must reason through how responsibility works when rules interact with real-world circumstances.

Rules Without Stories Are Useless in Practice

Without stories, rules are just words on a page—they lack interpretation, memorability and cultural weight.

— In law, precedents (stories of past rulings) shape how rules are applied.
— In religion, parables make moral laws relatable and memorable.
— In education, case studies and narratives bring dry subjects to life.

Stories breathe life into rules, making them usable, adaptable, and persuasive.

We Learn Rules Through Experience—Stories Simulate Experience

Humans evolved to learn through lived experience, not lists of rules.

-- Stories act as mental simulations—they let us “experience” situations without suffering real consequences.
-- This is why we tell cautionary tales to children rather than just listing rules.

When rules are bolstered by stories, we can effectively communicate with and persuade others who might be contemplating reckless or harmful behavior.

Are Rules Any Good Without Stories?

Rules without stories lack persuasive power and practical guidance.

• If a rule has never been tested in a story, we don’t know its limits.
• If a rule is never reinforced by stories, people forget it.
• If a rule is applied without a story, it feels arbitrary and irrelevant.

This is why legal systems, religious doctrines, and moral teachings always rely on stories.

A rule without a story is just a claim—but a rule backed by a story is a lesson.

Final Thoughts

That’s Just Wrong! doesn’t just teach the law—it shows how rules evolve through real human experiences. By playing the game, students don’t just learn what the rules are—they learn why they matter, how they work in practice, and when they fall short.

This is how we learn, how society grows, and how justice develops.