Stereotyping...

[beachbum7]

I was thinking about stereotypes today. I wonder why do people form stereotypes about others. Whether be about race, gender, the clothes someone likes to wear, the music someone likes to listen to, the way someone speaks, sexual orientation, etc. It seems awfully easy to form stereotypes about people from just about anything. Actually, some people on the hipforums seem to have some stereotypes about others, and that does dissapoint me.

Have you stereotyped others? I'm sure that's not something any of us want to admit, but unfortunately, I think it's natural. I'm sometimes surprised when I run into Japanese who can speak fluent English (unfortunately, many Japanese do not speak English despite the fact most have studied the language).

But I thought it was funny when one of my students told me that some of the stereotypes he had about Americans were that they are very tall and they eat a lot. Well, I'm 5'5'', but I proudly live up to the stereotype of eating a lot. Put me in a buffet, and I will fuckin' eat like a pig!

But I want to get your thoughts about stereotypes.

[Midget]

haha...the kid thought all people were tall, lol! Yeah, stereotypes suck.

[Republican]

one annoying stereotype is that of the republican...
a republican is supposed to..
1. ware fancy clothes
2. have a big boat
3. driving a fancy car

well this isn't true...
I..
1. ware bagey pants and t'shirts..
2. have no boat (whish i did but oh well)
3. I have 2 cars... an old volvo and a 1973 chevy malibu

stereotypes are bad.. I dont encourage a Liberal stereotype ( I used to but i stoped once I became friends with many)
I also hate racial stereotypes... I am a Irish-american male... I have no accent.. I have no luckey charms.. and no pot of gold (I would love one tho)..
not to mention the ones that are worse like asian-americans and black-americans (please do not uses african-american this applys to only some black-americans and many people from south africa... and the name african-american is racist because it acts like all black-Americans are decended from africa w/ is not true..)

[MikeE]

I think that sterotyping is an extention of one of humanities most valuable skills, extrapolation. The assumption that things that look similar act similar was one of the survival skills that our large brain gave us.

The difficulty that some folks have in realizing that similar looking things do not always act similarly shows how deeply this is built into our brain.

[Republican]

i agree it is a defence mechanism.. as are many of the things we do.. just like our fear of the dark.. and how we tend to look around once we open the door to the inside of our houses.

[beachbum7]

one annoying stereotype is that of the republican...
a republican is supposed to..
1. ware fancy clothes
2. have a big boat
3. driving a fancy car

well this isn't true...
I..
1. ware bagey pants and t'shirts..
2. have no boat (whish i did but oh well)
3. I have 2 cars... an old volvo and a 1973 chevy malibu

stereotypes are bad.. I dont encourage a Liberal stereotype ( I used to but i stoped once I became friends with many)
I also hate racial stereotypes... I am a Irish-american male... I have no accent.. I have no luckey charms.. and no pot of gold (I would love one tho)..
not to mention the ones that are worse like asian-americans and black-americans (please do not uses african-american this applys to only some black-americans and many people from south africa... and the name african-american is racist because it acts like all black-Americans are decended from africa w/ is not true..)
How is the term African-American racist? There are a whole lot of other things worse to call a black person than African-American. it's a generally accepted term - black people have ancestors that came over from Africa.

As for the stereotypes you mentioned about Replicans, I had never heard those before.

[Republican]

The term AFRICAN-AMERICAN isn't really racist.. there are worse obv.. but it isn't the correct term.. there are white africans who live in america.. also there are black-americans from other contenents.. the term african american got my fathers friend a scholorship although he was white.. although he was from africa and was a naturalized citizen.. so he was an african american.. lol

the term racist was a wrong word.. a better word would be overgeneralization..

also are u shure u havn't herd those? im happy u havn't there stuped.. and those republicans are in the minority.. but those are the ones promoted by dave chapell and many other liberal tellivison people (although i still like those shows lol)...

[beachbum7]

Well, I've heard the stereotypes of Republicans being a bunch of rich folks. But the thing is the South is prime Republican territory, and many of places in the South are poor.

[Republican]

yea i live in the south but i live in arkansas and this here (as we might say it lol) is clinton territory.. we have a republican govnor and lutenent-govnor because
1. the govnor is a baptest priest and most people like that and we have like 4 huge baptist curches here in the capitol city.
2. the lutenent govnor is a Rockefeller (no explination there i know him he is a nice man who holds alot of power here lol)

but thats the reason why..

I go to a privet school with posibly 10 republicans (not including teachers) and there is 2-300 people at the school (its small.. its sad when you know every one at the school lol..) but yea the south is mostly republican.. you know your in the south when you are driving donw the interstate and your see a truck with a vetren bumper sticker and a bush cheney bunper sticker... you know your in arkansas when you see a bumpersticker that says "Invade Iraq? no!"

my good friend has one.. one thing you learn being around people of diffrent parties is that were all the same were just all difrent... yea that would sum up both the left and right wing.. as the same but diffrent.. :p

[Ocean Byrd]

It's human nature to be prejudice. When you look at someone for the first time, you usually decide whether they are someone you'd get along with or not based on your views of society; it's true.

[MichaelByrd1967]

Why don't we all just forget about where our ancestors came from and just call ourselves 'Americans'. Whether you're Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, etc. You're still an 'American'. Whether you're of African, Italian, Asian, Hispanic, German, or Arabic descent, you're still an 'American'.

Remember 'Melting Pot'!!!!!
http://frosties.nixta.com/images/winter0102/dec01_jan02_1/cheese_fondue.jpg

[beachbum7]

Unfortunately, I think people who are the "same" still find ways to stereotype one another. But we definitely should embrace our differences and what we have in common.

[Republican]

Unfortunately, I think people who are the "same" still find ways to stereotype one another. But we definitely should embrace our differences and what we have in common.true.
I steriotype the french and I know a realy cool french exchange student.
I also steriotype the Left sometimes and although my steriotype if founded in truth I have a good number of democrats who break my steriotypes most of the time lol I can only hope they think the same :p lol..

embracing our diffrences is very important Its also realy good to not take one's self too seriously.. I often make jokes about how im fat and Irish lol.. People who have high self-esteme and can make jokes about them selves live better lives.

[Penny]

I'm so against stereotyping... it's something that I just can't stand, I do not stereotype other people and I just get crazy when someone stereotypes me, because of where I'm from, or what I say, how I dress, etc. It's just like how much I hate labels.
When I was in Texas, I could hear stuff like "oh, is it true that all French girls have sex very easily?", or "do you walk around topless on the streets?", or "how come you don't wear berets?" etc, etc. It was terrible. For info, French people do not wear more berets than in any other country (and only old people do, if they do), girls aren't easy at all, and no ones walks around topless unless you're at the beach (or let's say a naturist beach). And all the othet stereotypes are WRONG. That's it...

But yeah, I guess that it's just human nature to prejudice... but then I must be from another planet!

[Pressed_Rat]

When I was in Texas, I could hear stuff like "oh, is it true that all French girls have sex very easily?", or "do you walk around topless on the streets?", or "how come you don't wear berets?" etc, etc. It was terrible.

LOL!

That's hilarious!

What were you doing in Texas, Laety?

[FunkyPhreshMama]

it is sad society seems to put stereotypes on everyone. back when i was about 5 i remember just playing with everyone on the playground not thinking he is a thug, or he is preppy. we just all played together and had fun, no one cared what the other kid looked or dressed like.

and it makes me more sad to find myself making stereotypical comments about people sometimes, it is like i hear so much of the shit it just comes out when i least expect it................... :mad:

[Penny]

LOL!


That's hilarious!

What were you doing in Texas, Laety?
Heheh, well, I was in Texas because I got involved in this foreign exchange program, (called ASSE), with the hope that they would send me in the area I asked to be sent to (NEW YORK), but, these idiots couldn't find a host family for me there, and told me that the only available one for me when I was supposed to leave was in that town on the border to Louisiana, Orange, TX. So I went, I had already paid and all... I was supposed to stay for a year, but after visiting Nick in NJ for Christmas, I did everything to go back to Europe, and then he joined me :)

[wiufcaoltp]

I get stereotyped alot here in Spain. In fact, I've heard a few times that I was "like a skeleton compared to most other Americans". This isn't really true, because I consider myself to be pretty thin, and most guys my age were about the same as me when I was living in NJ, and tons of them either thinner or fatter. Maybe it was because my school had alot of athletes.

[GOB1029]

"Nous sommes tout citizens de la terre." heh, i think that's what my french teacher said, it means "we're all citizens of the earth" somebody said earlier to just call americans americans. i think we just call everyone people, humans, and better yet, if we know their name, call them by their name. quite simple actually..

[Republican]

For info, French people do not wear more berets than in any other country (and only old people do, if they do), girls aren't easy at all, and no ones walks around topless unless you're at the beach (or let's say a naturist beach). QUOTE]

are u shure? lol j/k :D

[QUOTE]
it is sad society seems to put stereotypes on everyone. back when i was about 5 i remember just playing with everyone on the playground not thinking he is a thug, or he is preppy. we just all played together and had fun, no one cared what the other kid looked or dressed like.

and it makes me more sad to find myself making stereotypical comments about people sometimes, it is like i hear so much of the shit it just comes out when i least expect it................... :mad:


I know.. Its very agrevating.. but what I hate most is when people accept steriotypes.. when i see people who actualy are thugs I feal bad.. Its too bad that they accept that.

Oh no.. a texan... I love the place.. but.. I hate the College texas.. ROFL Im an arkansas fan. ?Hopefully you arn't a texas fan.

I get stereotyped alot here in Spain. In fact, I've heard a few times that I was "like a skeleton compared to most other Americans". This isn't really true, because I consider myself to be pretty thin, and most guys my age were about the same as me when I was living in NJ, and tons of them either thinner or fatter. Maybe it was because my school had alot of athletes.


Oh no.. Im fat.. LoL and I support bush Im shure the typical european will love me LOL

"Nous sommes tout citizens de la terre." heh, i think that's what my french teacher said, it means "we're all citizens of the earth" somebody said earlier to just call americans americans. i think we just call everyone people, humans, and better yet, if we know their name, call them by their name. quite simple actually..

Not a bad idea. and aslong as there is no 1 world government I would agree 100%

[NCguitarhippie]

i'd like to say that we all make stereotypes whether you think you do or not. it really is natural.

i live in chapel hill, NC. this is going to border on racism more than stereotyping... sorry. anyway. at my highschool, kids are alwyas living up to stereotypes and it's horrible. i mean, if you even suggest a stereotypical comment you'll get called out, even thoguh it's blatently true. now for the racism side. you hear all this rap music calling everyone "niggas" and shooting like 9 people per song. and now in the highschool apparently, it's okay for black kids to call the white kids "cracker" or "niggah." i mean, it's so horrible. if a white person said anythingeven remotly racist they'd get thier ass kicked. i just hate how much power people think they have. arghh it's so frustrating, i'm afraid i'll just snap one day and punch some black kid in the nose when he calls me whitie or cracker, and then get charged for hate crimes. ughh....

blah!
keith sweezy

[beachbum7]

i'd like to say that we all make stereotypes whether you think you do or not. it really is natural.

i live in chapel hill, NC. this is going to border on racism more than stereotyping... sorry. anyway. at my highschool, kids are alwyas living up to stereotypes and it's horrible. i mean, if you even suggest a stereotypical comment you'll get called out, even thoguh it's blatently true. now for the racism side. you hear all this rap music calling everyone "niggas" and shooting like 9 people per song. and now in the highschool apparently, it's okay for black kids to call the white kids "cracker" or "niggah." i mean, it's so horrible. if a white person said anythingeven remotly racist they'd get thier ass kicked. i just hate how much power people think they have. arghh it's so frustrating, i'm afraid i'll just snap one day and punch some black kid in the nose when he calls me whitie or cracker, and then get charged for hate crimes. ughh....

blah!
keith sweezy
Where's the peace and love that's supposed to be on this site?

[beachbum7]

Actually, your post does sound a like lot racism.

[Real American]

NCguitarhippie: I understand exactly what you are talking about. Though I disagree with stereotyping, I do see myself and others doing it often. I live in a predominatly hispanic neighborhood. I am the minority in my neighborhood. I crack jokes about being the only person for 5 blocks without a bigscreen tv but that I am the only person that has central AC. At one point I had 3 broken down vehicles on my driveway and would say I'm starting to fit in. Honestly though, I think stereotyping isn't as bad as it used to be, simply because a lot of people put themselves in that "catagory".

[NCguitarhippie]

Where's the peace and love that's supposed to be on this site?
... :( i'm sorry. i was just trying to point out what was going on at my school. and i wasn't trying to attack anyone saying they were wrong to say they don't stereotype. i just believe that it's a part of human nature to decide whether or not you'll get along with that person when you first see them. (someone else said that earlier). sorry to pull in negative vibes.

i really do disagree with stereotyping and racism... it's just unavoidable. especially when so many people around me live up to the stereotypes.

sorry,
keith sweezy

[NCguitarhippie]

i only siad the whole punching thing becuase that's how bad it is. it's everywhere. people are always throwing racist comments at me... what am i supposed to do!? take it? that's never going to change anything. i really am a pacifist and would never hit the kid but ARGH.

[MexicanFlowerChild]

I think the funniest sterotype they have about Texas is that everybody over here is a has a horse with their boots and a ranch...when i came from Mexixo that's actually what i expected...but now i think is funny because is the total apposite..well atleast in the cities...

[Duncan]

Stereotyping is like comfort food. We know what it tastes like and we like the effects that it produces on us. With stereotyping there is a place for everything and everything in its place.

By the time I became aware of my environment, I had already seen a number of intermarriages (Catholics and Jews, Protestants and Catholics, Caucasians and non-Caucasians). GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER seemed far-fetched to some. Now it seems outdated... to some :)

I'm certainly guilty of stereotyping. I'm not thrilled about being at the receiving end of it. But at least it lets me know that people look at me!

[FreakyJoeMan]

I'm wary of most people with southern accents, cause I'm afraid they'll bludgen me to death or somethin cause of my long hair.

[dylanzeppelin]

its just the way we are brought up and how to describe people. you can't go pass it, its just life. just dont be a jerk about stereotypes because then you are one yourself, its people's opinion of others and well, there you go.. i dunno really, just blah for me..

[rainbowkid]

Its really anoying at school because these other kids in my classes and around school think I worship Satan because I have long hair and consider me to be really sadistic ( not that they'd know what that means ).



"When the rich wage war,
It's the poor who die."


Jean - Paul Sartre.