The Danger of a Single Story

A professor from school recently sent me a TED talk from Chimamanda Adichie, and I felt compelled to share it. It is interesting (and scary) to think about the dangers of viewing people, nations and cultures from one stereotypical viewpoint. Adichie talks about an experience she had when she first moved to the US and her roommate was surprised to find that she spoke English, listened to American music and knew how to use kitchen appliances. I too am not a stranger to such encounters, having gotten asked several times why “If you are from Africa, why do you talk so ‘white’?” Granted, such viewpoints sometimes come from a place of pure ignorance, however, many westerners are simply not exposed to enough differing stories about Africa, or about the issues that the continent tackles. Why is this? In a time where about 75% of the US population has access to the internet, a source of abundant public data and resources, I would hate to put all the blame on main stream media and television, although it seems hard not to. Television does seem like an easy way to get accurate news from around the world, however, it is usually just one storyline, told from one perspective. It is important to conduct more of your own research and formulate your own opinions, thereby empowering you to create your own stories.

The reason I wanted to post this was because I have grown increasingly concerned with the way people who are suffering from HIV/AIDS are portrayed in the media. A simple Google Image Search for “people with aids” explains my point further. The typical stereotype for an HIV/AIDS victim is a poor, emaciated, African; someone that we would never meet or be able to relate to. Although it is extremely important to educate people on the dangers of unprotected sex and HIV/AIDS, it is just as important to tell the story of people with HIV/AIDS as human beings. These are people with lives, families and jobs; they are people that we sit next to on the bus, go to the gym with and buy our groceries from. This is a story that has not been told enough and I encourage everyone to take another look at it. Do not be scared to listen to several stories and opinions, and eventually, formulate your own opinions and tell your own stories.