I've recently wondered where stereotypes originated from, the idea you could assume a fact from one person in a group to be true of most others in said group.
Before I took sociology as one of my GCSEs, I didn't think much at all about it. But one day, when I suggested to my teacher that stereotypes were necessary and some existed for a purpose, she became offended.
This seemed strange to me that a sociology teacher of all people would fail to understand my point of view on the matter.
Personally, I think stereotypes are necessary in most social situations, without them, how would we feel related to a subculture we are part of? I feel the fact that we choose friends from our subculture is based on the belief (and the assumption) that someone you share a common interest with will also share your opinions and experiences, even is your subculture is something as simple as "people who like dominoes".
Furthermore, I believe stereotypes are a form of subconscious protection our brain provides. For example, if a man was abused by his mother at a young age, he may hold the stereotype that woman are dangerous and/or bad for him, causing him to avoid them in later life as he feels he is avoiding danger.
We are all subject to this:
[QUOTE=Annie Murphy Paul]Psychologists once believed that only bigoted people used stereotypes. Now the study of unconscious bias is revealing the unsettling truth: We all use stereotypes, all the time, without knowing it. We have met the enemy of equality, and the enemy is us.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199805/where-bias-begins-the-truth-about-stereotypes"]Source.[/URL]
So my question is this, Facepunch: Are stereotypes necessary or are they simply the views of bigots?
I personally hate stereotypes because they give people a false impression of who I am. We all do form stereotypes in our brain to some extent but when we let them get too hateful it is wrong. I may look at a chavy teenager in a hoodie and cap and subconsciously think he's trouble but that view could be totally wrong. If I were to interact with this guy and he was really well mannered and polite then it'd be unfair to keep that stereotypical view of him.
[QUOTE=Ricool06;34287951]For example, if a man was abused by his mother at a young age, he may hold the stereotype that woman are dangerous and/or bad for him, causing him to avoid them in later life as he feels he is avoiding danger.
[/QUOTE]
But this would be more damaging to him than good. Alienating half of the population because of past abuse is unhealthy rather than a helpful protection strategy.
Cafeteria Food.
Always lives up to it's stereotype.
[QUOTE=KnightVista;34288329]Cafeteria Food.
Always lives up to it's stereotype.[/QUOTE]
From my experience that one is true.
[QUOTE=KnightVista;34288329]Cafeteria Food.
Always lives up to it's stereotype.[/QUOTE]
Although I suspect this is a joke, and quite a funny one at that, it does actually support my view. If there was no stereotype that suggested school dinners are rubbish, you might try them every week in the hope they would be better. Although this could be countered by saying you might find you like them one day, generally, their quality is still bad.
Stereotypes and prejudice are sometimes necessary. If a lion or something comes storming towards me, foaming around it's mouth, I can't know exactly what it wants, but I know that many lions like to eat people, so I shoot it.
Likewise, if I meet a large, bald man in a leather vest, who seems to be in a foul mood, I will avoid him. These are methods of survival, which are sadly abused a lot.
Stereotyping is only good when it is done out of humour.
Isn't that right you fat American cunts?
I go along with stereotypes, but I'm always assuming the stereotype is wrong if I see someone that fits a stereotype, if that makes sense.
[QUOTE=Eluveitie;34288730]I go along with stereotypes, but I'm always assuming the stereotype is wrong if I see someone that fits a stereotype, if that makes sense.[/QUOTE]
Kind of, do you mean you will take precautions to avoid the negative parts of that stereotype, but try not to go so far as to offend them?
[QUOTE=Antdawg;34288711]Stereotyping is only good when it is done out of humour.
Isn't that right you fat American cunts?[/QUOTE]
Damn right. Now how about those kangaroos and baby-eating dingos?
[QUOTE=Ricool06;34289543]Kind of, do you mean you will take precautions to avoid the negative parts of that stereotype, but try not to go so far as to offend them?[/QUOTE]
It's more, "oh he looks like a codfag, but he may actually be a cool dude, lets see".
Stereotypes are fucking hilarious.
They're not necessary but they will always exist.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;34292811]They're not necessary but they will always exist.[/QUOTE]
Care to share your reasoning on why you think they are not necessary?
[QUOTE=Ricool06;34292995]Care to share your reasoning on why you think they are not necessary?[/QUOTE]
Because they aren't, people just pick them up. They're not necessary so much as they are just things that people either notice or hear about.
I think they're unnecessary because they're either pointless, wrong, or both. If you believe stereotypes, you'll nearly always pointlessly insult someone and/or look like an idiot.
They don't save you any time, because you still have to find out about a person once you realise that the stereotype is a load of bullshit. Hardly any stereotypes contain any important attributes anyway, so you'll still have to find out everything about the person even if the stereotype is right.
I'm from England, so obviously I've got bad teeth, drink tea, wear a top hat and talk like a bond villain. True, True, False, False. Woop-dee-doo, you now know fucking nothing about me! So much necessary information.
I think they exist solely because we like to put labels on things, put them in a big box and only worry about details when we need to. It's just laziness and rudeness.
Let me whip out my Psychology folder here...
"Stereotypes help an individual to deal with a potentially vast amount of social information about a person or group of persons. To this extent, Stereotypes help to simplify our social world and make it more manageable, controllable and predictable. However, this comes at a price in that stereotypes often oversimplify and misrepresent a person."
So yeah, I believe Stereotypes are definitely necessary, but not particularly good as they give rise to racism, sexism etc.
they are kinda funny but obviously you have to be careful who you use them around. some people just don't like when you take a jab at where they work, or the kind of people they hang around, or their heritage, or something like that.
necessary? i don't know what this means. but it's helpful for people who keep statistics i suppose.
Some stereotypes are logical. If you go to Comic-Con it's understandable that you'd think everyone there enjoys some kind of comic/game/show.
But I suppose if it's something like black people like chicken because they're black, it's different.
They're overgeneralised but most have a degree of truth in them.
[QUOTE=st0rmforce;34299209]I think they're unnecessary because they're either pointless, wrong, or both. If you believe stereotypes, you'll nearly always pointlessly insult someone and/or look like an idiot.
They don't save you any time, because you still have to find out about a person once you realise that the stereotype is a load of bullshit. Hardly any stereotypes contain any important attributes anyway, so you'll still have to find out everything about the person even if the stereotype is right.
I'm from England, so obviously I've got bad teeth, drink tea, wear a top hat and talk like a bond villain. True, True, False, False. Woop-dee-doo, you now know fucking nothing about me! So much necessary information.
I think they exist solely because we like to put labels on things, put them in a big box and only worry about details when we need to. It's just laziness and rudeness.[/QUOTE]
Yeah but stereotypes can also be like all chavs wear shell suits and have skinheads, which for the most part I've found to be true, so they aren't always against nationalities and the likes.
Once people get older, stereotypes wear off. On most mature people.
[QUOTE=AK'z;34306443]Once people get older, stereotypes wear off. On most mature people.[/QUOTE]
Stereotypes don't just "wear off", you can be stereotyped because of any of your traits, including age.
Stereotypes aren't always negative, but they are always enforced through ignorance.
[QUOTE=st0rmforce;34299209]I think they're unnecessary because they're either pointless, wrong, or both. If you believe stereotypes, you'll nearly always pointlessly insult someone and/or look like an idiot.
They don't save you any time, because you still have to find out about a person once you realise that the stereotype is a load of bullshit. Hardly any stereotypes contain any important attributes anyway, so you'll still have to find out everything about the person even if the stereotype is right.
I'm from England, so obviously I've got bad teeth, drink tea, wear a top hat and talk like a bond villain. True, True, False, False. Woop-dee-doo, you now know fucking nothing about me! So much necessary information.
I think they exist solely because we like to put labels on things, put them in a big box and only worry about details when we need to. It's just laziness and rudeness.[/QUOTE]
I agree that there are many negative and outrageous stereotypes the world could do without, as they breed ignorance. Unfortunately this often comes in the form of racial stereotypes. However, some stereotypes such as the assumption that a rock music fan would go to gigs can help a person find like minded people and expand their social connections. Surely this isn't an ignorant or lazy view? In fact I would go so far as to say it is good that they are making the effort to actively search for similar people, accelerating the growth of respect in society.
Just because this friendship is based on a stereotype, it does not make it negative.
Making unbiased and objective judgements over a topic, person or object is really difficult and requires a lot of time. Often the information provided is very limited and intransparent. So our mind just uses stereotypes to quickly judge something without loosing to much energy on such thoughts. Stereotypes are useful in way because it saves a lot of our energy to make judgements. Even if those are not in line with the truth. I use stereotypes at times, but I really try to analyze things. But sometimes I can't really spare any more thoughts on a certain matter.
[QUOTE=teslacoil;34306482]Stereotypes don't just "wear off", you can be stereotyped because of any of your traits, including age..[/QUOTE]
They do.
People change.
[QUOTE=AK'z;34307957]They do.
People change.[/QUOTE]
I've met a lot of older people who are more likely to believe stereotypes about younger people than reality.
[QUOTE=st0rmforce;34308051]I've met a lot of older people who are more likely to believe stereotypes about younger people than reality.[/QUOTE]
They white lightening swilling dole collectors?
It is easier to believe in quick stereotypes than in cumbersome research about that topic.
they're funny as hell
sadly, a lot of them aren't just pulled out of nowhere
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