TEDTALK: The Danger of a Single Story
Our
teacher showed us a TED talk called "The Danger of a Single Story". I would recommend this video because
it’s just one of those videos that you want to continue to watch. Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian novelist,
has a very interesting story. She explains
that there is not one story about any place. There are multiple stories.
Chimamanda
grow up in Nigeria, Africa. When
she was eight she got a new house-boy named Fide. All her mom told her about
him was that he was poor. One day Chimamanda visited his village. When she got
there Fide’s brother showed her a basket he had woven. It had never occurred to
her that Fide's family could actually make something because all she had
known about him was that he was poor.
Chimamanda
learned how to read when she was four. She was also an early writer and started
writing at age seven. In all her
stories the characters had blue eyes and blonde hair, just like in the British
books. They also ate apples and talked about how nice the weather was when the
sun was out. But, in Nigeria they ate mangos and the sun was always out.
When
she moved to the U.S. for college her roommate asked “Where’d you learn how to
speak English so well?” Chimamanda said that English is the official language
of Nigeria. Then the roommate asked “Can you play some of your tribal music?”
Chimamanda played Mariah Carey. Her roommate also assumed that she couldn’t use
a stove.
Chimamanda
was reading a book by John Locke and it said that Africans are beasts with no houses. Later a professor told her her stories
were not authentically African because
there was not enough suffering. Chimamanda had a very good childhood with a
roof over her head and food on the table.
If we
let only one story define Africa, then we will only think of it in one way and
not realize that there are all kinds of people in different situations in
Africa. I still have a lot of questions but along the way I’ll find the
answers!
Posted
by Lila F
It would be interesting to think about what is the "Single Story" for where we live. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great TED talk! It makes me think about the steps I can take in my life to make sure a single story about a culture, country or even a person doesn't become the ONLY story. Thanks for this blog post, Lila.
ReplyDeleteYou really reminded me Lila that we make far too many assumptions about people based on were they are from or what race they are, before we get to know them as unique individuals.
ReplyDeleteJosh Felser
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWow Lila. You really have a great post. I think that you really payed attention when we were watching the video because you really covered everything
ReplyDeleteThank you all!
ReplyDeleteLila