The Single Story

"The danger of a single story” is something that we should all as humans be wary of. Our preconceived judgements of people hinder our ability to grow as people and understand others. Stereotypes are a very dangerous tool used everyday by almost everyone. You see someone walking down the street or stand behind you in line at Target and you think you know something about them. Simply by the way they look or by what your experience is of people who may look similar to them. This is one of the worst possible things we could do. Often we use these judgements to create single stories for people. It’s not based on who that person is or their past or the people who have influenced their lives. It’s the preconceived notions. The learned stereotypes instilled in school. It’s what people think other people are. We think we have that right. To decide something about someone else without knowing them or talking to them. By doing this, it keeps us from being able to connect with others and grow as people. We get stuck in this mindset of how things are and it makes it hard to understand the possibilities of something different. Or someone different.

Chimamanda Adichie has experienced this first hand. She tells her personal narrative of her experience with this. She warns us to not have that set “single story” just based on the appearance of others or what you learned in school or what your friend told you. Don’t judge people. Open your mind. Learn something new. Don’t base your opinion on someone after seeing or talking to them for 30 seconds. It’s not right and it’s a terrible mindset that does nothing but hurt us. We can’t grow by

doing this. We can’t understand or communicate properly with others. It only hurts us and the people who are victims of the “single story.” Get to know others. Get to know their personal story. Understand them. Don’t just judge who they are and decide who they are without knowing them. You will be a better person by doing this. It will enable us to understand one another better and maybe even one day keep stereotypes from being something that exists. Even though I doubt that day will ever come, it’s something to work towards and strive for. A world where people aren’t judged by these things and can truly understand one another.