Most Meaningful Takeaway | Chinua Achebe

In the interview with Chinue Achebe on the 2nd of August in 2000, he revealed various perspectives on a series of critical question which truly opened my eyes on the behalf of foreign literature with regards to the impacts of former colonized countries. It was a very insightful interview to read and to acknowledge Achebe's aim to give voice to the unheard African stories expressed in their native literature. He discusses the negative influences of American and European pop cultures in modern day literature in context of the danger of a single story; these cultures have the ability and power to publish books and stories in favor of their social status but also portray other cultures in a bad light. Africa still carries an adverse reputation due to the abiding spread of American and European stories concerning the harsh impacts of colonization to justify their imperial attitudes from the past. Achebe has made me realize that it is important to recognize the essence of multiple viewpoints and to disregard our shared prejudices, also to view a people as they are in full context to their derivation along with all their cultural beliefs. The following quote is significant to this realization and summarizes the substance of Achebe's objective to achieve a universal civilization: "And this is really what I personally wish this century to see -- a balance of stories where every people will be able to contribute to a definition of themselves, where we are not victims of other people's accounts."