WEEK 4: STORY LABORATORY

The danger of a single story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Single Story Web Link

Chimamanda began reading and writing at a very young age. She talked about how impressionable and vulnerable she was by the books she read. She had never left Nigeria or knew anything outside of Nigeria, so her stories were only familiar with the British and American books she read as a child. Once she came across African books she knew more than just the single perception she had from the books she read. Once she came to America to go to college, she was quick to realize that her American roommate had a “single story” about people from Africa. In a patronizing way assumed Chimamanda didn’t know how to work a stove, listened to tribal music, and was shocked to hear her speak English so well. We are all guilty of the single story. The single story is basically the close minded perception we have of others. When we are younger or not familiar with something we create our own perceptions without knowing reality. Majority of the time these single story perceptions carry on into our older years and that is when stereotypes and prejudices begin to evolve. We take what we think we know or what we have always heard about the unknown and that becomes our first impression.  When we read one thing , we cannot assume it reflects on all ethnicity, religions, or cultures that are represented in the single story.  

  

Imaginary friends and real-world consequences: parasocial relationships | Jennifer Barnes | TEDxOU: TED Talk Web Link

Jennifer Barnes answers the questions. Why do we spend so much time, emotion, and money on something we know isn't real? Why do we engage and feel so passionate about fictional characters? Why do we care so much and feel so connected to them? 

A parasocial relationship is a relationship you form with someone you don't really know. For instance, I feel like I know Justin Bieber by the way I follow him on social media, watch videos of him, and listen to his music. I feel like I know him. We don't only follow these celebrities through a publicity platform, but through their personal social media. We feel like we actually know them! But, when it comes down to it, we know that we are just a spec in these fictional characters and celebrities lives, and they don't know us! However, we still feel connected to them. We have a subconscious belief that we believe that fictional characters are fictional, but we have alief, a gut feeling they're actually real. This Ted Talk was super interesting and left me thinking about all the fictional characters and celebrities that I feel like I have a relationship with.