De Anza College Examine the Power of Influence Discussion

et’s shine a light on the ideas and concepts that influence our sense of self and our perceptions of others. When we first encounter an individual from a different background, we often bring with us a set of ideas or assumptions that may not be accurate. In the TED Talk linked below, Chimamanda Adichie shares an important insight about the danger of having a single story about anyone. Consider the impact of having such a limited perspective can have on both the one doing the viewing and the one being viewed.

Watch this video:

The Danger of a Single Story (Links to an external site.)

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie…

The Task:

1. Briefly describe the stories that you grew up with, whether these are from books, TV shows, movies, or another source. (Links to an external site.)
2. Explain how these stories influenced your perceptions of yourself and of the world. Share if there is a certain area of the world or certain people about whom you only have a single story and how you could work at broadening your understanding.
3. Your submission should be 150+ words.