Day One of Global Media & Information Literacy Week - The Power of Incomplete Narratives
The Power of Incomplete Narratives
Incomplete narratives on certain individuals or cultural groups can create false impressions. These incomplete narratives, or ‘single stories’, often come in the form of stereotypes that are spread across media platforms and eventually through day-to-day interactions.
Why Is This Dangerous?
The most dangerous part of stereotypes is not that they are largely untrue, but rather that they offer incomplete information and make generalizations. Some media often take the actions and experiences of individuals and use them to paint a picture of an entire community. A common example of this is when small portions of a community commits a crime or do not fit into expectations placed on them. Certain media often take this and use it to make the generalization that this particular group is violent or dangerous. Another example is newcomers being portrayed solely as people in hardship or as victims needing help.
Is there any truth to stereotypes?
While it is true that portions of groups may be committing crime and that some newcomers are in need of assistance from their new community, what is said about them frequently does not paint a complete picture. Most people, regardless of the stereotypes of the groups/communities that they are a part of, are people that have agency and make meaningful contributions to their new community. Media literacy begins with asking: Whose perspective and what information is missing from this narrative?
Discussion question: What is one “single story” that you often hear being told and what information does it leave out?