NationStates Jolt Archive

I have noticed that stereotyping has become an aspect of our society which we cannot escape.

Has anybody noticed that even when they try not to stereotype, that they find this to be an impossible exercise?

I ask the question as to why stereotypes exist and to what purpose they serve. Are stereotypes just easy ways of categorising entire groups of people or is there another reason?

And which groups are stereotyped? We often say stereotyping occurs primarily on gender and race, but is mainstream society affected by this as well?

I think we stereotype mostly because it's easy, but it goes deeper than that. We tend to lump things or people together according to their similarities largely because it aids us in processing information. And depending on the stereotype, there's a certain amount of accuracy to them.

Problem is, it's the exceptions to the rule that always come back to kick you in the ass. :lol:

Those fat warmongering yanks with their banjos, assault rifles and cowboy hats can't find a stereotype for me because I live too far away and they don't know shit about geography...

Those fat warmongering yanks with their banjos, assault rifles and cowboy hats can't find a stereotype for me because I live too far away and they don't know shit about geography...

:lol: Ok I actually think stereotyping (as above) would be called flaming by the mods.

I try very hard not to sereotype or label people, but it is a very difficult, i not impossible thing to do.

I think I base my stereotypes more on how someone dresses and presents themselves, although race and gender also play a role.

I think that our brains are wired to categorize everything...and that our brains developed that way for a reason. It helps us to avoid danger. It's how we know that we can generally pet a toy poodle or a golden retriever, but not a pit bull. The same goes for people. If someone looks like trouble...for instance a gang member, or a biker, we know to avoid them.

That being said; I must say that regarding people, this is a very inaccurate system at best. Many mass murderers look and seem perfectly sweet, while on the other hand, someone who looks like dangerous might be a very nice, good, moral person.

That's why I try hard to avoid labellng people, even though it's nearly impossble not to. It's also why racial profiling doesn't work.

Those fat warmongering yanks with their banjos, assault rifles and cowboy hats can't find a stereotype for me because I live too far away and they don't know shit about geography...

Hey you viking, why don't you go eat some sort of fish eh? Eh?! :wink:

Those fat warmongering yanks with their banjos, assault rifles and cowboy hats can't find a stereotype for me because I live too far away and they don't know shit about geography...

Hey you viking, why don't you go eat some sort of fish eh? Eh?! :wink:

i dont think he will, and im not going to eat a lime :twisted:

but the first post does have a good point, stereotypes do seem to have a negative impact on society as a whole....

I really just can't help sterotyping. It's in my Hispanic genes. I just gotta make fun of other fellow Hispanics from other countries, which they do vice-versa. It's all in good fun though. And just because I sterotype people, does not mean I'm a racist. I have black and white friends, and latinos too :D

if stereotypes just like other generalizations weren't usually true we wouldn't maintain them. sure their are exceptions but that doesn't change the unlying truth.

Those fat warmongering yanks with their banjos, assault rifles and cowboy hats can't find a stereotype for me because I live too far away and they don't know shit about geography...

Hey you viking, why don't you go eat some sort of fish eh? Eh?! :wink:

RACIST!!!

Based on stereotypes...I am an idiotic 13 yr old who is perverted and is girl-less. I also deal cocaine to random addicts in order to pay for my fence-climbing lessons. I am also a member of FARC and Al-Qaeda since I'm a Muslim Extremist and Colombian. Also, I am a complete hopeless nerd because I'm in all Honors classes and happen to get an A+ in U.S. History and Physical Science. Oh, and I don't know where "Great England" is either.

I wonder how often Japacia stereotypes?

According to stereotype I have no life as I'm in all Honors classes
Disproving da stereotype: I write for da school newspaper, play tennis and am planning to do track next yr, and a member of two volunteer groups

I wonder how often Japacia stereotypes?

According to stereotype I have no life as I'm in all Honors classes
Disproving da stereotype: I write for da school newspaper, play tennis and am planning to do track next yr, and a member of two volunteer groups
I should add that for me as well...I'm in all Honors

All those things are perfectly in line with the stereotype, Superpower... do you ever do anything that's, like, not at school?

I'm easily stereotyped myself... standard no-life Dungeons and Dragons-playing, metalhead, chain-smoking, never-pays-attention-in-school-and-is-only-going-because-it-means-not-having-to-live-at-home-for-six-years guy right here.

i try not to stereotype. it comes naturally most of the time. like first impressions.

Whether we like it or not, stereotypes exist, and it's damn near impossible to avoid using them.

One stereotype I don't like: According to the stereotype, rednecks are supposed to be dumb mullet-heads who listen to heavy metal. Instead, they're dumb sexist cowboys who think Toby Keith is the greatest fat guy since Taft. (At least in all the places I've lived.)

I try my best not to stereotype people, even though many people stereotype me. It happens all the time, if you grow up seeing a particular group of people doing something, you start to believe every person who belongs to that group does that. It's like living in a 'ghetto' neighborhood. Just because you live there doesn't mean you're dumber or less educated, o rhave less potential, or have less worth as a person. It's all in what you see and how you are taught.

Humans classify things by nature, its one of our evolutionary survival tools.

ie, There maybe a nice lion out there that wont tear you to pieces and eat whats left, if you decide to jump on his tale and kick sand in his eyes. Thats an exception to a stereotype. However, do you really want to bet your life on something so slim?

Thats why stereotypes are created and maintained, they usually have a fair degree of truth in them.

If we don't to some degree classify, then we leave ourselves open with a minimal amount of trust.

we have to stereotype because there are 6 billion unique individuals on this planet. how can you describe, or analyse their problems and their needs if you don't stereotype?

i agree with everyone who's saying they're survival methods. but that doesn't excuse them today, there is nothing on the planet today that will kill a person because it looks like how it does. so i'm lead to beleive that they're gunna be evolved out.
but for now, i don't see anything too wrong with stereotypes, as long as you realise that their not true and don't use them to be offensive.

*sits back with a cup of tea* toodle pip.

I was actually wanting to post something about stereotyping but I found this first so I'll just rant here.

I find that a lot of stereotyping is in music or centralized around music. What I mean by this is that people assume if you listen to punk then you are a "punk" and etc. A lot of people classify others by what they listen to.

In my case, I don't dress all "punk" because it's really overrated right now and I just wear whatever the hell I want to. The "punk" look is coming into style and um, trendy is just NO. However, I like a lot of bands such as Rancid, Nofx, Green Day, Bad Religion, The Offspring, etc. But I also like Fear Factory, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sugar Ray (not neccessarily their radio songs), The Beatles, Third Eye Blind, Karma, etc. It's like people expect me to stick to one genre and forget about everything else. Or when they first meet me they think I listen to alternative and then they find out that I listen to something they never expected me to listen to. I mean c'mon!

Does anyone else have this problem too?
If you have any commentary on what I've said, just telegram me, because most likely I'll never be able to find this post again.

Have a great day. :wink:
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-Boolari

Many NationStates 'debaters' stereotype so they can treat political discussion as a fight between two sides, whose entire set of beliefs can be inferred from one statement.

Many NationStates 'debaters' stereotype so they can treat political discussion as a fight between two sides, whose entire set of beliefs can be inferred from one statement.

i agree with everyone who's saying they're survival methods. but that doesn't excuse them today,

Survival methods dont need excuses.

there is nothing on the planet today that will kill a person because it looks like how it does.

There are thousands of things that will kill a person today. It just as easy to die today as it was 10,000 years ago.

so i'm lead to beleive that they're gunna be evolved out.

I disagree, because that makes absolutely no sense.

but for now, i don't see anything too wrong with stereotypes, as long as you realise that their not true and don't use them to be offensive.

Contradiction in a single sentance there. You "dont see anything wrong" with stereotypes, yet they're "not true" and "offensieve"? :roll: Make up your mind.

Steriotypes, and all prejudices exist to ease understanding of new situations. The problem is that they allow for a lot of low level understanding but hurt the ability of people to gain high level understanding.