The Danger of a Single Story

[sky's the limit]

There seems to be a common theme here, not only in the cerebral environment of the Misc. Forum here on Avcanada, but also in the rest of Canadian life. That theme is something I've been fighting against for some time, it's why I traveled to Afghanistan last year, it's why I'm in midst of working on an education project spanning both North American and African secondary schools, it's why I've fought employers for better conditions, it's why I've fought my own family to accept what is right for me (as I'm sure many of us have).

Over and over again I read things written here, in magazines, news papers, or in books that follow this theme. I look back on things I've written that have fallen prey to this theme, and I have spent a great deal of time figuring out why. I shake my head at many posts here that choose to find comfort in this theme, not because they are right, but more accurately, because the author's don't choose to step back, take pause, and consider the many stories that make up any given thing. I am constantly trying to add complexity to the debates that occur here, because life is complex, and the answers to most any issue are complex.

I'm sure if any of you stop and consider something of which you are personally vested, and how others choose to portray that interest, you too can see where the danger of a single story lies and how it applies to you.

This video can articulate it far better than I can, and for those of you who choose to take the 19 minutes to watch, it will hopefully make you reconsider many things; political ideas, racial ideas, economic ideas, and maybe even aviation related ideas.

Enjoy.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/chima ... story.html

stl

[Widow]

Reminds me of when, in high school, a new student from Brussels joined our class. We laughed about how her former classmates wondered if she would be living in an igloo. Not so funny when you think about it in the context Ms. Adichie conveys.

The danger of a single story indeed. There is always another point of view, another person's "reality" or "truth". Each person's past experiences will affect how they relate to a new experience. Even when there is disagreement, there should be respect - there is always something to learn.

[iflyforpie]

Thank you for that STL!

[sky's the limit]

You're welcome!

stl

[ETOPS]

Most people can recognize the dangers of a single story. Its much harder to recognize the dangers created by multiple versions of the same story.

[sky's the limit]

I beg to differ.

stl

[ETOPS]

In which respect?

[sky's the limit]

Send you a PM later, maybe tomorrow. Company coming... Have a good night.

stl

[PAJ]

19 minutes certainly not wasted. Gets you thinking for sure. Thanks

[The Old Fogducker]

On the contrary, I found it to be 19 minutes of wasted time, as I was already well familiar with the points raised..... I've been hearing them since my earliest days in the business.

Her comments on the broadcast industry indicated a total unfamiliarity with the business, and reflects the outlook of someone who should be in charge of National Public Radio ... a service some of you may enjoy, but I abhore. If you like it ... fine ... go support it and feel good about yourself with my congratulations.

Our broadcast outlets are above all, companies ... the purpose of a company is to make a profit for its shareholders. This person's "argument" with the mental images painted by conventional North American media goes back to the earliest days of broadcasting. Will the facility be used to reflect popular desires, or be a vehicle for education of the masses.

OFD

[sky's the limit]

On the contrary, I found it to be 19 minutes of wasted time, as I was already well familiar with the points raised.....

I expected nothing less from you Foggy, really. You're too far gone to bring back now, it's just a matter of finding you a nice sunset and an adequate horse.

stl

[The Old Fogducker]

At one time STL, I had three horses, but no longer....nor am I about to own any more horses.

So, I guess we'll need to have a different form of conveyance as I head off to enjoy the fruits of my lifetime of labour ... a good-sized boat might be nice, heading off to catch and release some Tarpon, Bonefish, or Jacks on the fly rod.....and those sunsets are nice and red too.

OFD

[sky's the limit]

Hey, I'm about to head off across the Pacific on a 40 footer, there's room if you're interested.... Imagine, the two of us on a boat for five weeks! LOL We have lots of rum coming too...

Gotta run,

stl

[The Old Fogducker]

Yah know .... I'd be delighted to do that sort of thing.

Unfortunately, although semi-retired now, I've been given a heads-up that I actually have to work sometime over the next few weeks, and its a project that will impact a lot of other folks if I go skiving off on a holiday to convert you into a fellow someone could enjoy spending a few weeks with ... LOL.

Enjoy the rum, and have a safe trip, it sounds like it will be highly memorable.

The Old Fogducker

[Icebound]

Our broadcast outlets are above all, companies ... the purpose of a company is to make a profit for its shareholders.


OFD

No, it isn't.

The purpose of a company is to serve its customers.

Making money is a byproduct. A company can make money in many ways that do not include service to customers, but they are all unetchical or immoral ..... and in those cases the "company" should be closed down and should not exist.

The purpose of a company is to provide a useful service to its customers.


...

[xsbank]

Icebound old darling, what planet are you from?

[xsbank]

Chimamanda for Prime Minister!

Oh, and strictly a propos, my gawd those eyes!

[Icebound]

..

Icebound old darling, what planet are you from?

Oh, you know... the one with all those annoying things called people..... those things that starve when deprived of food and water, bleed when cut, and die when poisoned....


...

[Nark]

Wouldn't it be nice if the world worked the way the Liberals see it?

If companies served their customers, there would be quality products, not quantity. WestJet for example. Walmart another.

Back on track. Good presentation. The message has been said many times before, stereotyping=bad. How many single-stories do you have to hear until it is no longer a single story?

[ETOPS]

How many single-stories do you have to hear until it is no longer a single story?

It depends on the individual.

[Icebound]

....

Wouldn't it be nice if the world worked the way the Liberals see it?

Has "God" or something, predetermined the way the world works?

I thought the world is populated by people of intellect... that includes you... and they can structure the world to work any way they want.

They have not done well in the past. Choose wisely for the future.

...

[Nark]

Icebound.

Most liberals I talk to have the premonition that everybody is equal, and the the rich (generally on the conservatives) have gotten rich of the backs of the poor. Not hard work, but thievery.

They want healthcare for everyone, but don't think about who is going to pay for it.
Or clean energy, but don't understand that nuclear power is one of the cleanest, not a Chernobyl in waiting.



I can remember back to Sunday school when Miss Soandso taught me Leviticus 19:18:

Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

[Icebound]

Icebound.

Most liberals I talk to have the premonition that everybody is equal, and the the rich (generally on the conservatives) have gotten rich of the backs of the poor. Not hard work, but thievery.

They want healthcare for everyone, but don't think about who is going to pay for it.
Or clean energy, but don't understand that nuclear power is one of the cleanest, not a Chernobyl in waiting.

I don't talk much to "L"iberals or "C"onservatives.

I prefer to talk to people who see problems, who have to deal with problems, who like to solve problems.

People who like to study the facts of a problem, and not the media PR. People who like to end up with a best-practices pragmatic solution.... not an ideological one that meets some particular political criteria.

People ARE equal, the Declaration of Independance says so. Not necessarily in ability or intellect or wealth, but with respect to their humanity and "inalienable rights". But we have created institutions where the poor cannot possibly compete.

The financial / labour structure has been spreading the gap between rich and poor, and concentrating the wealth of the world in fewer and fewer hands.

You mention health care. Is health care not a "right" in a civilized society? So should we not MAKE the resources available to pay for it, the same way we make the resources to pay for every child's basic education.

Given precisely the same crime.... let us say, vehicular manslaughter.... do our institutions provide the same level of defense to the poor black man as they do to the rich white?

You mention theivery. Just recently, a lot of people got rich off the Mortgage-backed-securities deal. What exactly was that, if not theivery. THEN the banks come and take even MORE money from you to keep the system upright... Look at the top 50 Corporations in America. Virtually all of them have been convicted of criminal activity. In 1934, the corporations of America came very close to staging a military coup on the White House.... is something similar beyond the realm of possibility today? (...or will it even be necessary; this time they'll just walk in the front door.)

I am not sure that the people who I talk to are "against" nuclear power. But they would like to understand the full cost of it, without having the waste cleanup externalized to "somebody else" at "some other time" with "some future technology". Same for tar sand technology, or anything else of that nature...

Whenever I DO talk to "C"onservatives, they are very good at pretending to protect their grandchildren from debt by "cutting spending" (which might have provided help and programs to those less fortunate people that we discussed above).... But they don't see the hypocrisy when they impose the cleanup of nuclear and petroleum waste on those very same grandchildren.... and that will not only hurt their financial health but could impact they physical well being as well...

They are very good at putting their mistakes off on somebody elses bill...

The people that I talk to are not so much concerned about equality, as they are about fairness.

...

...

[Mustard]

Oh my God! What a waste of time. It should of been called "The danger of being stupid."

[reality check]

Oh my God! What a waste of time. It should been called "The danger of being stupid."

Hmmm, you seem to have the market corned on 'stupid,' perhaps you can enlighten us?