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Chimamanda Adichie's The Danger Of A Single Story

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Upon watching Chimamanda Adichie’s presentation titled, “The Danger of a Single Story,” I knew exactly what was going to be discussed and just how imperative the content of her speech truly is. This is due to the fact that I had watched the TED video previously, for a United States History course, and referred to it while working on a project concerning the topic of identity. Despite having seen Adichie’s presentation once before, the video still evoked the same mixed emotions I had felt the first time I viewed it. On the one hand, Adichie’s powerful message regarding the “single story” still disheartens me, for it reminds me of the fact that ignorance is very much alive and well. Unfortunately, single stories run rampant in our nation, let alone our world, and more often than not, individuals lack the drive to seek out and understand the whole …show more content…

As a human being, this practice unnerves me, specifically because it is something that has been progressively getting worse, especially due to the growing tensions within the United States. On the other hand, however, Adichie’s message is also one filled with hope and encourages overarching change. Towards the end of her presentation, Adichie states, “…Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.” (Adichie, 2009). That is, while some stories, such as single stories, do more harm than good, being presented with a whole story does nothing but better one’s overall understanding. Having a more complete understanding of a situation, culture, or even an individual person helps to eliminate any possible biases, stereotypes, or confusion that oftentimes leads to both tension and

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