Both Stories and Numbers have their importance. Can't recall where I heard about this, but the essence is that if you want to convey a long-lasting message, then it has to be crafted as a story that will appeal to the audience and hence will be with them for a longer time. The story touches to the right/emotional side of the brain.
But stories are anecdotes and very personal and don't apply to a lot of folks. So if you are trying to craft a public policy then stories are not very relevant. They only convey the experience of a small segment of the population. So you need to look at the numbers/data to make a policy/intervention. If you are caught in the story then you will lose sight of the overall impact/experience. Numbers and Data will show the right picture
When I read books, I don't remember the numbers/data but I retain the stories (used to convey a message) for a longer duration.
