The Power of a Single Story by Carlie Wilson

Earlier in the unit we learned about the power of a single story. I really relate with this topic because like all of us, I have experienced the influences of a single story. As explained in Chimamanda Adichie’s Ted Talk, the most interesting part about a single story is that it can be experienced from two perspectives. You could either be the one to assume something about someone or something, or someone could assume something about you. Either way, our society can learn the value of understanding each other through first hand experiences and communication.

When I first moved back from South Africa many people around me had come up with some single stories of their own. I had to constantly explain to people that South Africa wasn’t a place full of poor people and dirt roads with wandering lions. Whenever I would come home from school and explain the ignorant comments made by other students to my mother, she would remind me that if I had never had the opportunity to live there, my understanding of Africa would be just as incorrect as the people around me.

When asked about what it was like there, people would often respond with, “So, you didn’t ride to school on the back of an elephant?”. Or “Did you learn to speak African?” Just last year I was asked “How was it over there?”. Before I could respond, another girl who had never been to South Africa before responded “People who need us. I understood that although they may have been joking and that they weren’t responsible for their false knowledge, comments like these were offensive. I rode to school on a bus just like any other American student. I also went to the mall and to the movies on weekend. . My life was very similar to how it is now. I think that it is very cool how teenagers around the world can relate to each other in more ways than we think possible. What we see on the news and other media sources has caused division among our society.

I too am guilty of falling into the trap of the single story. Before moving to South Africa I remember dreading it. I told my mother that I didn’t want to go because I wasn’t ready to give up air conditioning and good food. However, my biggest concern as a third grader was whether or not Santa Claus even travelled to Africa, because from what I had seen, it didn’t seem like it at all. When we had actually arrived in South Africa, all of my concerns had proven to be irrelevant. From then on I had made it my goal to not make assumptions about something I knew nothing about.

I really appreciate Chimamanda Adichie’s Ted Talk because it will help to change our society to become more connected instead of divided by only what we know to be true.

Vitro - Fertilization by Carlie Wilson

Carlie Wilson

February 28, 2017

Throughout this week in English, our class has been preparing for our scientific debates. Many social issues were debated, such as animal testing, the use of GMOs, and the practice of genetic manipulation of human embryos. My group was given the topic of genetic embryo manipulation. Being that I was a cross examiner, I was not able to share all of my ideas and opinions on the matter. After doing thorough research and reading potential consequences, I was able to quickly determine that I was against the technology that could possibly change the human race in devastating ways. In the process of vitro- fertilization the parent of the unborn child will be able to choose the embryos that are implanted into them. Although there are many positive outcomes of IVF, including the ability to treat inevitable diseases in a child, the negatives clearly outweigh the good.
If the process of IVF is abused, the human race can be facing a huge social divide. An IVF or “designer baby” procedure can cost up $100,000. According to the 2014 bureau census, the average income for an American family is about $51,939. That means that the cost of a designer baby can cost over double the amount of a family's yearly income. Households with the privilege of having a designer baby will not only be able to choose desired physical features, but they will also have access to high IQ genes and practical personality traits. Thus, making it easier for them to have more life opportunities such as jobs and college acceptances. Today, America is already divided into the lower class, middle class, and high class. With the use of IVF to choose embryos, America will be divided into two clear groups. People who can afford a pleasurable lifestyle and those who can’t.
Social hierarchy is not the only possible negative effect of IVF. In 2011, the Global Religious Landscape conducted a breakdown of the world’s religious beliefs based on 2,500 international censuses. Of the 7.12 billion living humans on this earth, 5.8 billion people affiliate themselves with a religious denomination believing in at least one god, which means that 84% of the world’s population believes that creating life is reserved for a higher power. This also means that over half of the world’s population would argue that genetic manipulation is a form of mimicking god or as the Washington Post would say “playing god”. With the option of IVF to essentially make humans, billions of people around the world will be threatened of their religions that date all the way back to 1800 B.C.E.
Another issue worth mentioning is overpopulation. Genetic modification would ensure babies a healthy life which would increase their life expectancy. For every two deaths there are four births which means that the human race is already rapidly producing more humans compared the amount of humans that die each day. By expanding a human’s  average life expectancy of 67 years, the world can expect a social crisis and a devastating economic decline. Starting with the decrease of water and food sources all the way down to the inability to control political aspects such as crime and ability to govern the people.
The points that I have brought up are the few of the many concerns that the human race should consider before legalizing vitro-fertilization for non-medical reasons. Unfortunately, not every person on this earth will be able to live a good quality life, but is it our job to change the fate of an unborn baby? Is it ethical to essentially plan out a life depending on a group of people’s opinions? I hope that the world understands the many dangers of the future IVF technology that will change human society forever.