Week 4 Lab: TED Talks About Storytelling


The danger of a single story
I thought this TED Talk was very powerful. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an incredible speaker, and I want to read her novel now. My favorite part of the speech was when she talked about the relationship between power and storytelling. We should all consider who has the power to tell the generalized, accepted story of others? When we read, we should wonder who is writing it and whether or not they are perpetuating a single story about a people or a stereotype. These stories are incomplete and robs people of their dignity. On the other hand, we should aim to tell diverse stories that reflect the diversity of people, helping to create a more complete storybook.

Imaginary friends and real-world consequences: parasocial relationships
Jennifer Barnes explores the relationships people have with fictional characters. People form parasocial relationships with characters. These type of relationships are one-sided, because one person knows almost everything about the other while the other does not know anything. However, these relationships can function as a buffer against negative emotions, because they act as perceived support systems that have tangible benefits. Since these characters are part of our perceived support systems, we feel fictional grief when they die; their death becomes personal. The most important message of this TED Talk was that fiction can foster empathy for others. As writers, we wield a powerful tool. We should use it for good!

Image Information: Superpowers by milagroswaid; source: CreativeCommons

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comment Wall

Image
Please leave your comments here! I look forward to seeing your thoughts and feedback. Here is the link to the project: Web of Stories: Tales of the African Mother Image information:  Silhouettes of Giraffes and Rhinoceros by Pixabay
Read more

Introduction to a Future Health Professional

Image
Hellloooo everyone, my name is Karissa Hughes, and here is a little bit about me. I have twin, who I live with and also goes to OU; the nature of our relationship is loving annoyance. Although I do not have a cat, my roommate does, and I'm already obsessed with him and his little socks. His name is Boomer, and sometimes I accidentally call him Sooner. My major is Health, Medicine, and Society. It is multidisciplinary, which I appreciate because I like learning from different perspectives, and is geared towards pre-Medicine students. I have already completed all of the pre-Med prerequisites, but I'm still not exactly sure if I want to go to medical school. I recently learned more about the field of Public Health and have become interested in possibly pursuing a career in that instead. Health has become my passion, especially learning more about the social aspects of health, how various identities affect health experiences, and the reasons behind and consequences of health
Read more

Week 10 Story: The Jewelry Soothsayer

Image
There once was an ambitious, talented woman, named Gamze, who recently lost her job working as a jewelry appraiser. She was fired because they suspected her of theft; she hated discovering her colleagues' mistrust of and prejudice against Turkish people. Gamze was cast as a soothsayer, a trickster, a thief in their imagination, dismissing her dedication to her work and willingness to help others. She had a husband, named Alperan, who was stuck - stuck between 40 and 50 years and caught between multiple jobs. Gamze wanted more from their life, and she knew that she would be the one to raise the status of their family. Gamze looked for other jobs but this reputation followed her to job interviews. She wondered how they could suspect her; if she had stolen the diamond and sapphire ring, she would not be subjecting herself to interviews with old white men. One evening, a previous client, Benan, called Gamze to see if she had appraised a stolen necklace in the last few days. Gamze k
Read more