I'm sometimes judgmental, absolutely touchy, always mercurial (how's that for an oxymoron), and, I have frequently felt, oddly for being such a Judgy Judgerson, open-minded about life and other people's views, perceptions, or "truths" as the case may be. I may think someone is stupid for wearing a blue bucket on his head, but I just shake my head, figure it's their right to be stupid as long as it doesn't affect me personally, and walk faster hoping the "crazy person" doesn't stop to talk to me.
After viewing this presentation by (okay forgive me if this is incorrectly spelled and I have no idea how to say this) Chimamanda Adichie about "The Danger of a Single Story", I am not so sure of my objectivity, my open-mindedness, of people, their motives, and my world view as a whole.
First of all, it blew me away that Nigerians have cars and houses and stuff. I swear every National Geographic mag I've ever seen says differently. I thought everyone in Africa rode elephants and lived in huts.
I'm kidding.
I have had the pleasure of a few African born friends in my history, mostly in my first go-round in college, but based on popular propaganda, not many would blame me for those assumptions. I remember reading something once in junior high and telling friends that Africa was one of the richest countries in the world as far a natural and precious minerals.
I remember arguing with my friends until one of them said, "Well, if they're so rich, why do they all live in huts and wear rags?" I had no answer because I assumed that was characteristic of ALL Africans, too. I had read the other side of the story but bombarded with the majority of American media and general perceptions of Africans and their way of life, I was unsure and folded like a cheap alligator.
As the Human Race, above and beyond anything else, as a people, we must learn to look beyond the "single story". We must learn to give people a chance beyond what we have heard, what we think we know, what we feel is their "truth" because the actual "truth" of things is that we all barely know our own truths and much of how we see ourselves is derived from how others- our parents, mentors, spouses, friends, enemies, families, strangers, etc.- see us.
Not only must we go on a journey of self-exploration and discovery, but allow that that single ideal or story of how we see others may not be their only truth. It may not even be one of their truths, it's just what we learned or heard. It was a single element of what was presented
to us.
What I'm saying is ALWAYS DIG DEEPER. Do not cover your eyes and hope for the best. Do not accept the media's "reality", those who are in power's "ideal", scientific "truths", statistical "facts" as the way things are or even as how things "should" be.
As a society we tend to push for that ideal of a single truth as we are used to filling out forms that ask us to define ourselves based on demographics such as race, sex, and posture (okay, maybe not posture).
These demographics are used to "define" us, put us in a neat little box, label us, and tell others how we should be treated based on whether we checked Native American, Island Pacificer, or Alien. No one ever asks if I like long walks on the beach ( I do), if I enjoy knitting (I don't), or if I thought that Captain Spock should have been killed off in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (NO, and that's when I stopped watching Star Trek. I don't care if they brought him back. They shouldn't have killed him in the first place. At least I have Fringe for my Leonard Nimoy fix.)
We are becoming increasingly swayed and shaped by society (despite our protestations to the contrary) and molded to only support or acknowledge the ideals that are either already our own or those that we "think" are or own.
Media and the powers that be continue to rule and run the way we tend to think of ourselves and others, carry ourselves, what is valuable and what is not.
When I am on Facebook, they suggest friends to me based on friends I already have. What if I want to branch out and be-friend someone other than my old college roommate's 14 year old brother? Who cares if we have 300 friends in common? That doesn't mean I'll like him. Sure, I can look on his page, and see that we both like the same roast beef or that we both enjoy shopping at Target, but he could still be a 14 year old serial killer who likes to find and bury new Facebook contacts under the shed.
Sometimes, it's best to just find your own way. Find out as much as you can about someone's, or thing's, whole story, before judging them. Do the research. Always question authority and make the "way", the path, the decision, the judgment call for yourself. Don't let others do your research. It's best to find your own path to a full reality. When we stop questioning, stop researching further, stop keeping a mind full of hope, wonderment, open-mindedness and curiosity, we are dead as a society.
We are zombies.
Maybe that guy with the blue bucket on his head is a re-knowned scientist trying to discover the sociological or mental effects of wearing a blue bucket on your head. Maybe he just couldn't find the green bucket, which matches his jogging suit better. Either way he might be pretty interesting and eye-opening, if you give him a chance.
I guess what I'm saying is, don't be a Lemming, in the end you'll have regrets. And they NEVER should have killed Captain Spock off for any reason. He was awesome. (Though I did come back to watch the newest 2009 Star Trek, which was also awesome)
Long Live Leonard Nimoy
I encourage you to go out and refute everything I have said here.
After viewing this presentation by (okay forgive me if this is incorrectly spelled and I have no idea how to say this) Chimamanda Adichie about "The Danger of a Single Story", I am not so sure of my objectivity, my open-mindedness, of people, their motives, and my world view as a whole.
First of all, it blew me away that Nigerians have cars and houses and stuff. I swear every National Geographic mag I've ever seen says differently. I thought everyone in Africa rode elephants and lived in huts.
I'm kidding.
I have had the pleasure of a few African born friends in my history, mostly in my first go-round in college, but based on popular propaganda, not many would blame me for those assumptions. I remember reading something once in junior high and telling friends that Africa was one of the richest countries in the world as far a natural and precious minerals.
I remember arguing with my friends until one of them said, "Well, if they're so rich, why do they all live in huts and wear rags?" I had no answer because I assumed that was characteristic of ALL Africans, too. I had read the other side of the story but bombarded with the majority of American media and general perceptions of Africans and their way of life, I was unsure and folded like a cheap alligator.
As the Human Race, above and beyond anything else, as a people, we must learn to look beyond the "single story". We must learn to give people a chance beyond what we have heard, what we think we know, what we feel is their "truth" because the actual "truth" of things is that we all barely know our own truths and much of how we see ourselves is derived from how others- our parents, mentors, spouses, friends, enemies, families, strangers, etc.- see us.
Not only must we go on a journey of self-exploration and discovery, but allow that that single ideal or story of how we see others may not be their only truth. It may not even be one of their truths, it's just what we learned or heard. It was a single element of what was presented
 |
| My hubby and son covering their eyes |
What I'm saying is ALWAYS DIG DEEPER. Do not cover your eyes and hope for the best. Do not accept the media's "reality", those who are in power's "ideal", scientific "truths", statistical "facts" as the way things are or even as how things "should" be.
As a society we tend to push for that ideal of a single truth as we are used to filling out forms that ask us to define ourselves based on demographics such as race, sex, and posture (okay, maybe not posture).
These demographics are used to "define" us, put us in a neat little box, label us, and tell others how we should be treated based on whether we checked Native American, Island Pacificer, or Alien. No one ever asks if I like long walks on the beach ( I do), if I enjoy knitting (I don't), or if I thought that Captain Spock should have been killed off in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (NO, and that's when I stopped watching Star Trek. I don't care if they brought him back. They shouldn't have killed him in the first place. At least I have Fringe for my Leonard Nimoy fix.)
 |
| At Least I have Fringe. Ahhh... Fringe |
We are becoming increasingly swayed and shaped by society (despite our protestations to the contrary) and molded to only support or acknowledge the ideals that are either already our own or those that we "think" are or own.
Media and the powers that be continue to rule and run the way we tend to think of ourselves and others, carry ourselves, what is valuable and what is not.
When I am on Facebook, they suggest friends to me based on friends I already have. What if I want to branch out and be-friend someone other than my old college roommate's 14 year old brother? Who cares if we have 300 friends in common? That doesn't mean I'll like him. Sure, I can look on his page, and see that we both like the same roast beef or that we both enjoy shopping at Target, but he could still be a 14 year old serial killer who likes to find and bury new Facebook contacts under the shed.
Sometimes, it's best to just find your own way. Find out as much as you can about someone's, or thing's, whole story, before judging them. Do the research. Always question authority and make the "way", the path, the decision, the judgment call for yourself. Don't let others do your research. It's best to find your own path to a full reality. When we stop questioning, stop researching further, stop keeping a mind full of hope, wonderment, open-mindedness and curiosity, we are dead as a society.
We are zombies.
Maybe that guy with the blue bucket on his head is a re-knowned scientist trying to discover the sociological or mental effects of wearing a blue bucket on your head. Maybe he just couldn't find the green bucket, which matches his jogging suit better. Either way he might be pretty interesting and eye-opening, if you give him a chance.I guess what I'm saying is, don't be a Lemming, in the end you'll have regrets. And they NEVER should have killed Captain Spock off for any reason. He was awesome. (Though I did come back to watch the newest 2009 Star Trek, which was also awesome)
Long Live Leonard Nimoy
I encourage you to go out and refute everything I have said here.
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