Week 10 Story Lab

This week I decided to watch the TED talks over storytelling and stories. I enjoyed both videos, and here are my thoughts for them. 

The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

   I thoroughly enjoyed this TED Talk for a number of reasons. Firstly, I enjoyed Chimamanda's approach to telling of her story, and how she wasn't attacking or being vengeful in her argument. She made it a universal problem, one that everyone can work on. I feel this was an overall eye-opening TED Talk. 
   Secondly, I remember when I took Discoveries of Archaeology, we often discussed the racism among common myths, legends and conspiracy theories we have today, an argument that I feel can contribute to this TED talk. For example, a wild conspiracy out there is aliens actually built the pyramids, not the Egyptian. There are books, reddit threads and several t.v. shows that claim this. Although not pointed and obvious racism, to claim this is stripping the Egyptians of an incredible accomplishment that spurred technological and cultural advancements. I think this follows along with only reading a single story. The consequence of reading a single story is stripping a person or collective group of earned merits and accomplishments. 
   Lastly, I was raised in a diverse neighborhood. On my right was a Hispanic family, on my left an African-American family, two doors down was a Yemeni family, and then there was my Irish-catholic family right in the middle of the cul-de-sac. Due to this, I never felt I had one single story of any background because I got to see several different cultures engage in the same experiences as I did. This doesn't mean I haven't mindlessly stereotyped or (shamefully) jumped to conclusions about people, but I have grown to be aware of the dynamic backgrounds people have. I liked how she called herself on it, too. Overall, one of my favorite TED Talks to date. 

Caption: What happens when you only read a single story. Obtained from giphy.com

Imaginary friends and real-world consequences: parasocial relationships | Jennifer Barnes | TEDxOU

I enjoyed this TED talk as well! It is funny though because I began zoning in and out, but when she started talking about Taylor Swift and Olivia Pope (a.k.a my queens) I was zoned in. I experienced, what she later identified as, a social facilitation effect. I enjoy psychology and the cognitive behaviors which lead us to do the things we do. Overall, I enjoyed this video, maybe not as much as the first, but it was very interesting and informative. 

Week 10 Reading Notes Part B

I finished up the Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest where we explored more about why things are the way they are through the use of the coyote. We learned how the rattlesnake learned to bite after being taken advantage of. In the story of the Coyote's Eyes we learn how he desired a brighter eye color and through a rather gruesome method, he achieved yellow eyes. In How the Bluebird Got Its Color, it was discovered that the bluebird achieved its color through singing in a lake. These were the stories I enjoyed the most. I love reading different interpretations of how the universe and the world came to be. It will be fun to explore these storylines this week.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912).

Caption: Bluebirds (or roadrunners) and Coyotes obtained from giphy.com

Reading notes Part A: Week 10

This week I decided to focus on the California and the Old Southwest stories. I liked the idea of reading a unit involving regions I have been to and have stories I might have heard before. I enjoyed how this unit focused a lot on the creation of the world a lot, and it has some biblical aspects in it. In the Legend of the Flood covered a flood that wiped out the planet sparing one coyote. He gathered and planted feathers and they sprouted into trees. Coyotes were a consistent theme throughout the unit, and there may have been a deeper meaning to that. However, I am deliriously tired right now, so as far as I am concerned this coyote brought fire into the world and man and everything else.

Caption: the coyote carrying out God's assignments. Obtained from giphy.com

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912).