The Danger of a Single Story - Importance of Voice and Culture

The Danger of a Single Story
Kar Htoo
Adult High School/6132392707 /Shanon (Guidance Counsellor)
U1 A3 A1
The Danger of a Single Story
After watching “The Danger of a Single Story”, respond to the following questions using the
chart below. Please provide specific examples from the TED Talk and from your personal
experiences.
** The chart will expand as you type **
Question Answer Example from TED
Talk
Personal
Example
1. How important is the
voice behind the
definition of culture?
2. Does it matter WHO
defines a culture?
3. Would a culture be
defined differently
between ages,
genders, wealth gaps
or races?
1.The voice is very
important behind
the definition of
culture. It’s an
important aspect of
how people assess
your credibility. It
represents values,
opinions, beliefs,
viewpoints, and
culture
backgrounds. For
example, If you
meet someone for
the first time, that
person’s first
impression of you
might not be who
you really are, but
if you speak out
and your voice is
authoritative and
well informed
about yourself, the
person will be
more
knowledgeable
and change her
impression of you.
2. It does matter
because each
individual may
define it differently.
1. Adichie uses the
Ibo word “Inkale” to
define the
importance of the
voce that defines
culture. This voice
or what she calls the
principle of Inkale
has to be authentic
in order to reflect
the true
manifestations of
what exists in that
particular culture
that the individual is
defining and making
it the definitive story
of the culture.
2. Adichie gives
the example of
stereotypes that
arise from one
story definition of
Africa as a place of
catastrophes. This
definition sees
Africa from the
single story
perspective since
everyone defines
the culture from
their won
I was born in
Burma, moved to
Thailand when I
was one year old,
and moved again
to Canada when I
was eleven.
Unfortunately, I
didn’t have the
opportunity to learn
Burmese in my 10
years in Thailand,
so I don’t speak
the language and I
don’t define myself
as a Burmese
citizen. When
people asked
where I’m from, my
answer would
always be
Thailand, but I
know in my heart
I’m originally from
Burma. The facts
that I don’t speak
the language and
didn’t grow up in it
make me present
the culture
differently.
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The Danger of a Single Story
It also depends on
the generation and
events that created
the culture. For
example, two
people come from
the same culture,
but experience it
differently, and
there fore
represent it
differently.
3. Yes, if a person
defines culture,
and
age/wealth/gender
defines a person,
those have effect
on culture.
perspective.
3. Yes, culture can
be defined
differently by people
of different race,
wealth, age and
gender.
Chimamanda gives
us an example of
how her roommate
was surprised to
hear her speak
English since she
knew that Africans
cannot speak
English. Further,
she quotes the
definition that John
Locle wrote on his
voyage to west
Africa where he
defined Africans as
people without
houses who have
their eyes on their
breasts.
4. What is the danger
when specific voices
are missing
5. How does this inform
ones cultural
identity?
4. Some part of
culture wouldn’t be
known and some
expectations exist
that may not be
true.
5. Everyone has
unique traditions,
values and beliefs
that are important
to them and how
they deliver them.
One can through
their living styles,
lived experience
with the culture,
and knowledge
4. Chimamanda
gives the example
of how she had a
single story
understanding
Mexicans as
immigrants due to
the crisis situation
that they were
facing. The
definition from the
media was missing
some voices thus
robing the people of
dignity.
5.the example of
how the presenter
The struggle I face
whenever I meet
new people is that
they ask where I’m
from and as soon
as I tell them
where, they start
assuming things.
For example, I am
horrible in math
and the fact that I
am Asian, they
think all Asian are
good at math.
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