I'm not sure what to do about stereotypes. How can you diminish something that everyone knows about if you can't let them see another side? Chimamanda brings up an excellent point, the one sided story can create a lot of harm. It's hard to let others see another side if half of the world is so ignorant to others. That's what I saw when I told my best friend in Texas that I was moving to Colombia. To me it wasn't a big deal. I've live in Brasil, Argentina, and The United States, one more country couldn't harm my experience. However, my friend thought it was the strangest thing ever. She told me, "what's it going to be like to live in Africa?" That shocked me. I mean, I've heard jokes about people thinking that Colombia is in Africa, but to actually hear it shocked me. Then my Pre-AP English teacher told me, "You're not in the cocaine business are you?" A full grown man told me this! I couldn't handle this ignorance coming from people that I personally knew.
I decided to explore what it meant to hear only one side to every story. Stereotypes harm so many ideas, people, and cultures. For me, I never believe one thing until I either researched the topic or went to the place myself. Then again, I've had a lot more experience with other cultures; 14 other countries worth of cultures. Maybe it isn't a personal problem but more of a societal problem. It's going to be hard to get ride of one-sided stories, if it is even possible. People need to get out of their ignorance bubble and explore the world a little more in order to escape their single world.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Heart of Darkness Part 3
Response to Matt Alvarez
While I agree that we become obsessed with our objects that we want to obtain, I do not think it's the only way that people have wanted to gain power. I believe that power is also gained through the means of emotion. Kurtz may be able to gain power from Ivory and may be obsessed with it, but I also think he was able to gain his power through his means of emotion. I know that leaders from the past, example would be Hitler, were able to conform others into what they want them to do by changing and challenging what they know and feel. I think that this method is more effective into what Kurtz wants.
While I agree that we become obsessed with our objects that we want to obtain, I do not think it's the only way that people have wanted to gain power. I believe that power is also gained through the means of emotion. Kurtz may be able to gain power from Ivory and may be obsessed with it, but I also think he was able to gain his power through his means of emotion. I know that leaders from the past, example would be Hitler, were able to conform others into what they want them to do by changing and challenging what they know and feel. I think that this method is more effective into what Kurtz wants.
Heart of Darkness Part 2
Response to Camila Nieto
I agree with Camila, that we all think of another country with what we hear. However, I believe it's only because we are scared of what's outside of our own world. I know a lot of people who haven't even left their own neighborhood (this is back in Texas) and only believed the stereotypes of places I have been to or have lived in. While I do think that this is terrible, I do think that this is only a defense mechanism. Maybe we shouldn't blame people for being this way, or maybe we should teach people better. I do not think that this mentality that we have of other countries is our fault, but more of societies fault.
I agree with Camila, that we all think of another country with what we hear. However, I believe it's only because we are scared of what's outside of our own world. I know a lot of people who haven't even left their own neighborhood (this is back in Texas) and only believed the stereotypes of places I have been to or have lived in. While I do think that this is terrible, I do think that this is only a defense mechanism. Maybe we shouldn't blame people for being this way, or maybe we should teach people better. I do not think that this mentality that we have of other countries is our fault, but more of societies fault.
Heart of Darkness Part 1
What is darkness? Is it considered to be light, your surroundings, or even yourself? For me, I find that "darkness" is your soul. Heart of Darkness raises the question for me to define what darkness is. I feel that Conrad wants the reader to explore what happens to our lost souls as we explore the world, and soon they become dark.
Darkness can be described as "no light". However, I feel that that definition can apply to humans. Our "light" could be how we precieve the world and what guides us. When Conrad introduces the darkness, I first thought it was to be the way that London is. However, I soon came to realize that darkness is the lost souls of the explores. How do we retrieve the light again? That's a matter of time that I feel that each of these characters have asked themselves time and time again. Then again, I could be completely wrong.
Darkness can be described as "no light". However, I feel that that definition can apply to humans. Our "light" could be how we precieve the world and what guides us. When Conrad introduces the darkness, I first thought it was to be the way that London is. However, I soon came to realize that darkness is the lost souls of the explores. How do we retrieve the light again? That's a matter of time that I feel that each of these characters have asked themselves time and time again. Then again, I could be completely wrong.
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