Data’s great. But it’s stories that move.

Quick-byte messages, news tickers, trending topics and no-frills blasts of opinion comprise so much of what we consume and produce as web 2.0 users. But what about storytelling? I’m talking about slowing down and taking the time to gather diverse material, process it, and interpret it in a meaningful, unique way.

That’s what’s so arresting about photographer Michael Deppisch’s video of the flooding that has plagued Nashville the past few days. True, the timeliness factor of this video has contributed to its spread across the Internet — “Nashville” was, after all, a trending topic yesterday. But I can imagine watching this video apart from the news context, maybe ten years from now, and still feeling moved. It’s both timely and timeless.

How can we become better storytellers?

By the way, be sure to text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to donate $10 to Nashville flood disaster relief.

Via Mashable