【TED-演讲稿】The-danger-of-a-dingle-story

ThedangerofasinglestoryI'mastoryteller.AndIwouldliketotellyouafewpersonalstoriesaboutwhatIliketocallthedangerofthesinglestory.IgrewuponauniversitycampusineasternNigeria.MymothersaysthatIstartedreadingattheageoftwo,althoughIthinkfourisprobablyclosetothetruth.SoIwasanearlyreader,andwhatIreadwereBritishandAmericanchildren'sbooks.0:38Iwasalsoanearlywriter,andwhenIbegantowrite,atabouttheageofseven,storiesinpencilwithcrayonillustrationsthatmypoormotherwasobligatedtoread,IwroteexactlythekindsofstoriesIwasreading:Allmycharacterswerewhiteandblue-eyed,theyplayedinthesnow,theyateapples,andtheytalkedalotabouttheweather,howlovelyitwasthatthesunhadcomeout.(Laughter)Now,thisdespitethefactthatIlivedinNigeria.IhadneverbeenoutsideNigeria.Wedidn'thavesnow,weatemangoes,andwenevertalkedabouttheweather,becausetherewasnoneedto.1:25MycharactersalsodrankalotofgingerbeerbecausethecharactersintheBritishbooksIreaddrankgingerbeer.NevermindthatIhadnoideawhatgingerbeerwas.(Laughter)Andformanyyearsafterwards,Iwouldhaveadesperatedesiretotastegingerbeer.Butthatisanotherstory.1:43Whatthisdemonstrates,Ithink,ishowimpressionableandvulnerableweareinthefaceofastory,particularlyaschildren.BecauseallIhadreadwerebooksinwhichcharacterswereforeign,IhadbecomeconvincedthatbooksbytheirverynaturehadtohaveforeignersinthemandhadtobeaboutthingswithwhichIcouldnotpersonallyidentify.ThingschangedwhenIdiscoveredAfricanbooks.Thereweren'tmanyofthemavailable,andtheyweren'tquiteaseasytofindastheforeignbooks.2:14ButbecauseofwriterslikeChinuaAchebeandCamaraLayeIwentthroughamentalshiftinmyperceptionofliterature.Irealizedthatpeoplelikeme,girlswithskinthecolorofchocolate,whosekinkyhaircouldnotformponytails,couldalsoexistinliterature.IstartedtowriteaboutthingsIrecognized.2:35Now,IlovedthoseAmericanandBritishbooksIread.Theystirredmyimagination.Theyopenedupnewworldsforme.ButtheunintendedconsequencewasthatIdidnotknowthatpeoplelikemecouldexistinliterature.SowhatthediscoveryofAfricanwritersdidformewasthis:Itsavedmefromhavingasinglestoryofwhatbooksare.2:58Icomefromaconventional,middle-classNigerianfamily.Myfatherwasaprofessor.Mymotherwasanadministrator.Andsowehad,aswasthenorm,live-indomestichelp,whowouldoftencomefromnearbyruralvillages.SotheyearIturnedeightwegotanewhouseboy.HisnamewasFide.Theonlythingmymothertoldusabouthimwasthathisfamilywasverypoor.Mymothersentyamsandrice,andouroldclothes,tohisfamily.AndwhenIdidn'tfinishmydinnermymotherwouldsay,Finishyourfood!Don'tyouknow?PeoplelikeFide'sfamilyhavenothing.SoIfeltenormouspityforFide'sfamily.3:42ThenoneSaturdaywewenttohisvillagetovisit,andhismothershowedusabeautifullypatternedbasketmadeofdyedraffiathathisbrotherhadmade.Iwasstartled.Ithadnotoccurredtomethatanybodyinhisfamilycouldactuallymakesomething.AllIhadheardaboutthemwashowpoortheywere,sothatithadbecomeimpossibleformetoseethemasanythingelsebutpoor.Theirpovertywasmysinglestoryofthem.4:12Yearslater,IthoughtaboutthiswhenIleftNigeriatogotouniversityintheUnitedStates.Iwas19.MyAmericanroommatewasshockedbyme.SheaskedwhereIhadlearnedtospeakEnglishsowell,andwasconfusedwhenIsaidthatNigeriahappenedtohaveEnglishasitsofficiallanguage.Sheaskedifshecouldlistentowhatshecalledmytribalmusic,andwasconsequentlyverydisappointedwhenIproducedmytapeofMariahCarey.(Laughter)SheassumedthatIdidnotknowhowtouseastove.4:49Whatstruckmewasthis:Shehadfeltsorryformeevenbeforeshesawme.Herdefaultpositiontowardme,asanAfrican,wasakindofpatronizing,well-meaningpity.MyroommatehadasinglestoryofAfrica:asinglestoryofcatastrophe.InthissinglestorytherewasnopossibilityofAfricansbeingsimilartoherinanyway,nopossibilityoffeelingsmorecomplexthanpity,nopossibilityofaconnectionashumanequals.5:20ImustsaythatbeforeIwenttotheU.S.Ididn'tconsciouslyidentifyasAfrican.ButintheU.S.wheneverAfricacameuppeopleturnedtome.NevermindthatIknewnothingaboutplaceslikeNamibia.ButIdidcometoembracethisnewidentity,andinmanywaysIthinkofmyselfnowasAfrican.AlthoughIstillgetquiteirritablewhenAfricaisreferredtoasacountry,themostrecentexamplebeingmyotherwisewonderfulflightfromLagostwodaysago,inwhichtherewasanannouncementontheVirginflightaboutthecharityworkinIndia,Africaandothercountries.(Laughter)5:55SoafterIhadspentsomeyearsintheU.S.asanAfrican,Ibegantounderstandmyroommate'sresponsetome.IfIhadnotgrownupinNigeria,andifallIknewaboutAfricawerefrompopularimages,ItoowouldthinkthatAfricawasaplaceofbeautifullandscapes,beautifulanimals,andincomprehensiblepeople,fightingsenselesswars,dyingofpovertyandAIDS,unabletospeakforthemselvesandwaitingtobesavedbyakind,whiteforeigner.IwouldseeAfricansinthesamewaythatI,asachild,hadseenFide'sfamily.6:34ThissinglestoryofAfricaultimatelycomes,Ithink,fromWesternliterature.Now,hereisaquotefromthewritingofaLondonmerchantcalledJohnLocke,whosailedtowestAfricain1561andkeptafascinatingaccountofhisvoyage.AfterreferringtotheblackAfricansasbeastswhohavenohouses,hewrites,Theyarealsopeoplewithoutheads,havingtheirmouthandeyesintheirbreasts.7:04Now,I'velaughedeverytimeI'vereadthis.AndonemustadmiretheimaginationofJohnLocke.Butwhatisimportantab