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 Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 6:35 pm
Why is it that those persons who are different are always ridiculed by society? For instance I have this friend who is bi-sexual and all around campus people are talking about her and giving a bad reputation. But if they would only take five minutes to get to know this girl they would see that she is one of the koolest persons you could ever meet. I hate the way people are stereo-typed, and I hate the effects of the majority of the world carrying around that stereo-typical attitude.
Your thoughts on this topic would be nice.
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Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 7:07 pm
Yeah, it sucks.
But what can we do about it?
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Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:01 pm
There is little you can do about stereotypes, except try to prevent you yourself from using them when making judgements. Unfortunately, people just seem to have built in ideas about those who are different. It's true for everyone really; we are all prejudiced, but I guess we have to force ourselves to get to know people reguardless.
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Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:35 pm
Stereotypes are just like labels. Society uses them because in the broad term they work. How can you understand someone that you don't know very well without them? Granted I don't like them but there isn't much you can do. They are part of the culture and the language and it's something you will have to live with.
A fair few of those prejudices seem to fall away when you get old. At least for the open minded people they do. Keep in mind that someone is going to find a reason to hate you no matter who you are.
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Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:57 pm
You'd be completely correct, except for the fact that you're wrong.
There are many stereotypes that exist today that are positive, yet for some reason I never hear anyone bitching about those ones.
Case in point. The notion that if you're a black male you probably have a large p***s. This is a racial stereotype, but I have never heard the black community in an uproar about it. Why? Because they like it. If we want to abolish stereotypes we'd have to also get rid of this one, making the statement that, "It is not the case that most black men have large penises." And I bet you that they'd be upset about that notion as well, as we'd be taking something away that causes them a racial distinction.
If you want to accept positive stereotypes you have to also be willing to accept negative ones as well.
I'd also like to argue that there are many stereotypes that from my experience tend to be true, like the idea that Goths/Punks/Emos tend to be distressed socially inept individuals. On Gaia their intelligence is usually fairly low, and they are characterized by youthfulness. In real life, they are often very politically savvy, though they most always push for socialist ideals, and hate Bush. They tend to listen to music that I don't understand, that involves the lead vocalist screaming curse words into a microphone. They are identifiable by their clothing, and dejected looks. They often wear makeup, mostly thick eyeliner, which makes them distinguishable. By and large, they tend to be rude elitists as well, being extremely intolerant toward anyone who dresses in what they would call "preppy" clothing. They generally hate 'preps' on principle, even if they aren't persecuted by them. They generally tend to be Bi-Sexual or Gay, as they think being straight would be to mainstream, or they have just become so supertolerant toward the lifestyle that they refuse to not be bisexual. In classes they either do not participate at all, or participate all too often (which mostly revolves around challenging the teacher.) They as a group tend to be more into drug use than other groups, probably due to their secluded nature, and weird social beliefs. They tend to hold a high number of suicidal people, who attempt to commit suicide by either cutting, or overdosing on drugs. Speaking of cutting, it is this group that is most tolerant toward it, as a whole. Many themselves being cutters who think it relieves emotional stress or strain. They tend to be jaded pessimists as well, but not in a funny way. To them the grass is never green, on either side of the fence. They generally always hold some sort of aesthetic sense. Meaning there is always something that they find to be amazingly beautiful. This ranges from good photography of abandoned buildings to fine art. They also tend to like to believe that they are depressed, and their general nature and demeanor reflects this.
The thing's I've written here are stereotypes of this group of people some good, some bad. When I encounter a goth/emo/punk I generally can assume safely that they are most all of these things. Does that make me intolerant? Not really. People can do as they please. It just helps me ID the characteristic of a group of people who I have NO desire to spend time with.
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Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:42 pm
I have no idea what stereotype I fit under at all, and have never really classified myself into one group. This has both advantages and disadvantages, as you can probably imagine. The biggest disadvantage being that I have a strange, ever-going identity crisis with myself; I am who I am, and I like the things that I do, but people can't seem to pigeonhole me into any category - which is also nice, too, as people aren't so quick to label me, I suppose...
The only category I can really think of, offhand, that people have given me crap over is my weight. I'm sure you can imagine being female, and overweight, the kinds of things people say, because everyone says them about overweight females... even the overweight females themselves, usually.
Stereotypes I think come down to a method for us, in human nature, to better prepare ourselves and defend us against negative environments. For example, let's say a person from a village of blue-skinned people travels out into the wilderness and comes across a village of orange-skinned people. The two peoples have no previous knowledge of each other. The oranges see the blue person as an invader and attack them, and the blue person runs away without a fight. This would thus start two racial stereotypes:
-Blue-skinned people believe orange-skinned people are all violent.
-Orange-skinned people believe blue-skinned people are weak and cowards.
While this is an obscure example, it's really not far off from how real society works. A child growing up in a home where they are constantly abused by older males will likely forever have a stereotype or fear of men, forever affecting how they act towards men the rest of their lives. A woman who is raped by a male will likely forever have a fear or stereotype of that race, no matter how subconsciously, for the rest of their life. A person growing up in an area where one particular race acts out in violence against citizens, will likely have a stereotype against that race.
When it all comes down to it, in short, yes, stereotypes suck... but from a view of survival I can see how our ancestors would have found it useful.
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 6:22 pm
hey..i'm black..and i'm sterotyped so many times it's disguisting! exclaim
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:58 pm
It truly is horrible that people are like that, but then it's in our nature to be like that. It can't be helped. You just have to learn to live with it.
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 5:40 pm
Captain_Sipid_Peabody You'd be completely correct, except for the fact that you're wrong. If you want to accept positive stereotypes you have to also be willing to accept negative ones as well. I'd also like to argue that there are many stereotypes that from my experience tend to be true, like the idea that Goths/Punks/Emos tend to be distressed socially inept individuals. On Gaia their intelligence is usually fairly low, and they are characterized by youthfulness. In real life, they are often very politically savvy, though they most always push for socialist ideals, and hate Bush. They tend to listen to music that I don't understand, that involves the lead vocalist screaming curse words into a microphone. They are identifiable by their clothing, and dejected looks. They often wear makeup, mostly thick eyeliner, which makes them distinguishable. By and large, they tend to be rude elitists as well, being extremely intolerant toward anyone who dresses in what they would call "preppy" clothing. They generally hate 'preps' on principle, even if they aren't persecuted by them. They generally tend to be Bi-Sexual or Gay, as they think being straight would be to mainstream, or they have just become so supertolerant toward the lifestyle that they refuse to not be bisexual. In classes they either do not participate at all, or participate all too often (which mostly revolves around challenging the teacher.) They as a group tend to be more into drug use than other groups, probably due to their secluded nature, and weird social beliefs. They tend to hold a high number of suicidal people, who attempt to commit suicide by either cutting, or overdosing on drugs. Speaking of cutting, it is this group that is most tolerant toward it, as a whole. Many themselves being cutters who think it relieves emotional stress or strain. They tend to be jaded pessimists as well, but not in a funny way. To them the grass is never green, on either side of the fence. They generally always hold some sort of aesthetic sense. Meaning there is always something that they find to be amazingly beautiful. This ranges from good photography of abandoned buildings to fine art. They also tend to like to believe that they are depressed, and their general nature and demeanor reflects this. I for one Happen to be a punk. (not to lable myself.) some of my best friends are "Preps", Im not gay, bi. I just like to have fun. punk rock for one is not all that much of screaming, more bad voicals. I am one of those happy go lucky nice guys. :') And within one week of going out with my girlfriend I got her to stop cutting herself....thank god! and out or the house. [she is simi goth][and my best friend is a prep.]
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 5:54 pm
Captain_Sipid_Peabody They tend to hold a high number of suicidal people, who attempt to commit suicide by either cutting, or overdosing on drugs. Speaking of cutting, it is this group that is most tolerant toward it, as a whole. Many themselves being cutters who think it relieves emotional stress or strain. Attempt to commit suicide by cutting? Many of THEM being cutters? Gee, your stereotypical expressions are horribly wrong, and ignorent. "that cutters are not suicidal, their wounds life-threatening only rarely and accidentally"( 2005 , 21 Nov 2005 )
"Another source says 750 of every 100,000 people in the U.S. self-injure. 2 These people are NOT CRAZY. These people are NOT SUICIDAL, although a third of them expect to be dead within five years. They suffer from what is called by some "Deliberate Self Harm Syndrome," by others "complex post-traumatic stress disorder" (PTSD), "Repetitive Self-Harm Syndrome" or "multiple personality/dissociative identity disorders" (MPD/DID). Many of these people simply call themselves "cutters," and some simply call what they do SI, or self-injury, and use SI as a verb, as in "I SI once a month".: (21 Nov 2005, )
Enough internet sources.
Just to let you know, all cutters aren't suicidal. And all cutters do not fit your description whatsoever. You would be suprised. rolleyes
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:37 pm
Stereotypes *can* have their place, but it all in how people use them that can make them good or bad. It boils down to people needing to be more open minded with one another.
For instance, I am stereotyped against ALL THE TIME here on Gaia. Why? Because I am older than most people on this site. I'm 24 OHNOES!!111!! But worse than that, I am openly a parent!!1!! Someone should just crucify me for that! rolleyes
I don't know how many times some 15 year old Gaian has told me that I'm "too old" for Gaia, "too old" for anime, and "too old" to like the internet. WTF? I've been watching anime and reading manga since before most of you were even born. Why should I suddenly stop liking it once I hit adulthood?
I am stereotyped because of my views on abortion. There is even another guild in the GGN, that SPECIFICALLY streotypes my guild because it's a parents guild.
And what good does this do? I think I'm a pretty cool person if you get to know me, but most kids on this site won't give me the time of day because I'm a 24 year old mom. Their loss I suppose.
But what irritates me the most is the Gaians who go completely out of their way to troll my guild. Is this some sad way to get your jollies? Go harrass a group of people who have done nothing to you? But this is apparently the rebellious ways of the immature... see that, I just made a generalization! Yep, I can do that too.
In hindsight, I don't know if my post actually *added* anything to this conversation, or if it was just more of a rant from me. Ah well. Learn from it what you will.
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:04 pm
Nadira Captain_Sipid_Peabody They tend to hold a high number of suicidal people, who attempt to commit suicide by either cutting, or overdosing on drugs. Speaking of cutting, it is this group that is most tolerant toward it, as a whole. Many themselves being cutters who think it relieves emotional stress or strain. Attempt to commit suicide by cutting? Many of THEM being cutters? Gee, your stereotypical expressions are horribly wrong, and ignorent. "that cutters are not suicidal, their wounds life-threatening only rarely and accidentally"( 2005 , 21 Nov 2005 )
"Another source says 750 of every 100,000 people in the U.S. self-injure. 2 These people are NOT CRAZY. These people are NOT SUICIDAL, although a third of them expect to be dead within five years. They suffer from what is called by some "Deliberate Self Harm Syndrome," by others "complex post-traumatic stress disorder" (PTSD), "Repetitive Self-Harm Syndrome" or "multiple personality/dissociative identity disorders" (MPD/DID). Many of these people simply call themselves "cutters," and some simply call what they do SI, or self-injury, and use SI as a verb, as in "I SI once a month".: (21 Nov 2005, )
Enough internet sources.
Just to let you know, all cutters aren't suicidal. And all cutters do not fit your description whatsoever. You would be suprised. rolleyes
Anyone who "SI"'s as you call it appears like another one who flew over the cuckoo's nest. Its true. You can't justify the uge to hurt yourself. That in itself is insane. I've been there, I know people who've been there.
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