When I think about my own beliefs and how they create "otherness," I see that I have taken on board many of the stereotypes and negative ideas about people that society and the media have spread. People often make these assumptions because they don't understand or hear other points of view, which makes them see certain groups of people in a simple and wrong way.

I really liked one of the parody examples in Ngozi's TEDTalk called "The Danger of a Single Story." It was brought up that one story can lead to stereotypes and false beliefs. I know that I have told these single stories before, especially about countries or groups that I don't know very well. These stories can make people feel "other" and keep damaging assumptions alive.

In Wainana's "How to Write About Africa" piece, I saw another example that made me question what I thought I knew. He makes sarcastic ideas, like calling Africans "noble savages" or focused only on poverty and disease. These show how dangerous it is to simplify and misrepresent complex cultures. I'm aware that I may have believed these stories without meaning to in the past, which added to the romanticization and spreading of false information about some cultures.

"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" by Miner also reminds us how easy it is to get the wrong idea about strange habits and practices. The article talks about everyday things in American society in a way that makes them seem strange and foreign. It does this to show how important it is to understand other cultures before you judge them.

All in all, these cases have taught me to be more aware of the stories I read and the assumptions I form about other people. I can help reduce "otherness" and increase knowledge and kindness by questioning my own stereotypes and looking for different points of view.