35 Chapter 2 Mindset Matters Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The power of Adichie’s “single story” comes from “how impressionable and vul- nerable we are in the face of a story.” Once you have one view of something in mind, it is difficult to see the group of people or place described as anything but what has been described in that story. These visions are reinforced over time, often without actual exposure to the people one believes these things about. One component of the single story is that in our society, the groups who have less power have less access to the mediums that control the story (typically, the media and Hollywood). So their efforts to add more dimensions to the single story that’s told about them are often ineffective. The result of single stories is devastating, as Adichie describes: “It robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult. It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.” In other words, retaining only a single story distances us from other people and dehumanizes them in our eyes. It doesn’t matter whether it is intentional or done subconsciously, it hap- pens to us all through the stories we consume every day. The first step to improving this is being conscious that single stories permeate our consciousness and create a flat and inaccurate view of the world and people around us. The next step is to realize that we have the ability and responsibil- ity to shift the way we understand the subject of the single story. Another step, which is much harder and less tangible, is to shift our mindsets accordingly. Everyone needs to take a critical view of the story—that is, the narrative in which we see the world. As Adichie argues, a single story—whether transmit- ted by social media or news agencies or family lore—limits and distorts truth and complexity. TRY THIS The next time you are surprised by a person you are interacting with (either someone you perceive as similar or different from you in some way), ask yourself, “Why am I surprised?” “What had I been expecting?” “Where did that expectation come from?” 2.4