Embracing Complexity: Insights on Identity and Authentic Storytelling
- Jonia Johnson
- Apr 14, 2024
- 1 min read
In the following Media, the speaker; Adichie warns against sticking to just one viewpoint in her talk. Fanon; a philosopher, focused on how colonialism and racism shaped identity, urging people to explore who they were. The quote from Fanon; "Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.", encourages us to find our purpose in life. Both Adichie and Fanon emphasize the importance of embracing the complexity of identity and challenging narrow narratives. Dumor, in his talk, stresses the need for authentic storytelling about Africa. These discussions align with the idea of self-determination, where individuals define themselves. This topic aligns with aiming towards critical thinking about media and challenging biased narratives.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk effectively shows how such oversimplifications can lead to harmful biases and prejudices. I completely agree with the importance of seeking multiple perspectives, especially when it comes to topics like race, culture, and identity. By providing us with a diverse list of media outlets about the African diaspora, our instructor has emphasized the value of embracing different viewpoints to gain a deeper understanding. Engaging with various sources allows us to appreciate the diversity within communities and helps us combat stereotypes and discrimination.
Dumor's emphasis on authentic representation in media is crucial, urging storytellers to approach narratives with integrity. Critical thinking skills are essential for navigating today's media landscape and developing understanding and empathy.
Telling the story. We have talked about how important it is to tell the whole story. We must also be careful who is telling the story. Intelligent people need to be in charge of storytelling and wisdom comes with time. Some people are educated but they are not intelligent. Some people are old but are not wise. I say make sure we stay woke and pay attention to all details of matters concerning Blacks. Our culture, lifestyles, clothing, music and other hot items are all precious artifacts that tell our story. Let us forever hold each other accountable!!!