The author demonstrated the negative impacts of telling a single story, which significantly affects people’s perception of the social world. Furthermore, the author argued that stories play an integral role in the society and lives of people in which individuals operate from hearing, understanding, and knowing the single story related to a situation, person, and, in some instances, conflicts (Adichie 01:43). Moreover, the challenges originate when people have entire concentration and understanding of the single story unconsciously, leading to diverse challenges. For example, believing in a single story contributes to default conclusions, perceptions, assumptions, and decision-making processes. On the same note, Adichie posited that possessing a worldview based on a single story could prevent people from exploring complex situations and people, leading to a narrow view of the diverse circumstances and occurrences (2:23).
The author asserted that focusing on a single story leads to having a background of having a simple understanding scenario and lacking information on other people or concepts, leading to intimidation and prejudicing the target group. Adichie asserted that various populations in society are vulnerable to a particular single story which can change their worldview (04:17). For example, literary works and media significantly focus on a single story leading to generalization and making assumptions by people towards a particular person or group (Adichie 05:26). The author’s personal experience with roommates indicates an essential instance of generalization due to the influence of a single story. The roommates possess the misconception that all people from African have straggling and poor backgrounds (Adichie 05:48). Equally, due to the high rates of Mexican immigrants in the United States, all Mexicans are immigrants. Similarly, authors asserted that a single story plays an integrals role in politics and power (Adichie 06:17). Individuals telling the story, the place, the situation, and how the story is delivered impact the circumstance in various ways. As a result, comprehending the situation could result in multiple narratives, which can exits as harmful when not critically analyzed by the audience.
Most Politicians have power in defining and explaining a person and situation through various lenses. As per Adichie, powers in society are integral in spreading the single stories and making them persist in members (08:10). Furthermore, power influence various parameters of the stories, including “who,” “when,” “why,” and “how” in the society, which manipulates the understanding of the audience. For instance, when the author visits Mexico, she realizes that Mexicans operate differently as most western media portray them as harmful (Adichie 09:37). Therefore, single stories have various negative impacts on peoples thinking, perception, and decision-making on a group, persona, and situation.
Personally, the author makes a significant argument that affects modern society in different ways. As a result, I significantly agree that a single story leads to the generalization of a person and situation, leading to assumptions. Mass media have influenced thinking and perception of various phenomena around the world through single-story concepts. For example, while visiting a different cultural system, people tend to search for information on the internet about the place and community, which creates particular understanding. On my vocational trip to South Africa, I was prepared to face various racist actions. Media indicates that South Africa exits as one of the African countries with high-level racial abuses, targeting white. Moreover, things were different from the time I arrived at the airport with a warm welcome. Furthermore, the Africans operated the hotels and tour guides with limited cases of racial abuse and racists incidences.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda N. “The danger of a single story.” YouTube, TED, 7 Oct. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg. Accessed 2 July 2021.
