1. A method comprising: selecting, from a database of a social networking system, a set of actions that are 1) each separately performed by users of the social networking system connected to a viewing user within the social networking system and that are 2) performed on a common object maintained by the social networking system; generating a consolidated story unit for a viewing user that describes the common object maintained by the social networking system, the set of actions, and that identifies the total number of users who performed the set of actions in association with the common object; determining a first affinity of the viewing user for the consolidated story unit, the first affinity including an affinity of the viewing user for at least one action of the set of actions, at least one user of the set of users, or the common object; determining one or more second affinities of the viewing user for additional story units describing actions performed by users of the social networking system other than the viewing user; and providing for display in a feed of stories, to the viewing user, the consolidated story unit and the additional story units ordered with respect to each other in accordance with the determined affinities.