Danger of a Single Story

I just watched a video called The Danger of a Single Story. I think everyone experiences this even when they try not to.  It is very hard for anyone to avoid, unless you actively think about it.  It so much easier to just take the single story and role with it.  To attempt to counteract this type of thinking, one must try to learn all sides, whether listening to news, reading a book, or even talking to friends.  When you hear something about a race, religion, place, or situation, don't make the assumption that it is true, instead do your research.  Learn more about the situation from different sources.  Read books, talk to people, look up information.  These are all things you can do to avoid the single story situation.  Now that I know better, when someone tells me something, especially with current events, I do my research on it, before assuming it is the truth.  I try not to make assumptions about people or places either.

When thinking about Stereotypes and generalizations most of us are taught that stereotypes are harmful and generalizations are helpful, but in the case of the single story they both make assumptions about people or a situation.  While it may be true that stereotypes lock people into a catagory, and generalizations adjust as we learn more, they are both incomplete stories.   

I've had many experiences with the single story.  We see single stories on the news every day.  Politically each side is giving a single story, internationally countries give single stories everyday.  We hear things about countries all the time, but unless we have been there or know people from there or have done our research, then we are all guilty of making assumptions and stereotypes.  Growing up in the US, when you hear about Australia, you hear about surfing, shrimp on the barbie, and surfer dudes.   As I've gotten older, I've met and talked to many Australians.  Not a single ones surfs, or runs around shirtless in surfer shorts with long blonde hair.  The single story i heard thanks to television growing up, turned out to be completely untrue.