I’ve always been fascinated by stories and what they do with us. Our thoughts, our characters, our experiences. Stories shape who we are and who we’re becoming. I was really inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who opened my eyes with her talked on the danger of a single story.
A single story emphasises on how we are different, rather than how we are similar.
I think that’s a brilliant phrase to live by. Never trust the single story. Try to learn more by viewing something from other perspectives. And know that as long as you know only one story, you should withhold your opinions and prejudice because they might portrait you as a single story.
With everything we make in this world, be it a product or a service, we should consider: are we building something real or is this going to be perceived as another single story?
Update:
This travelers report on North Korea is an apt example of the danger of the single story. If you haven’t read about North Korean tourism this is a great article to get an idea of what the country tries to tell tourist and it’s inhabitants: https://medium.com/@ryannee/my-summer-vacation-in-north-korea-910571c48f76