Do YOU Stereotype People? (page 4)

minimus

I think stereotyping can be expressed truth.....at times.

Farkel

Stereotyping is so immature and I would never do it.

Besides, there is no need. People are all a bunch of losers, anyway.

Farkel

How to Stop Stereotyping People

By an eHow Contributor I want to do this! What's This?

Stereotyping and assuming things about people are negative carryovers from our more primitive historical beginnings. Survival in a hostile environment was necessary. Simple assumptions gave us the "better safe than sorry" approach to dealing with one another. Stereotyping people has no place in a modern, civilized, society and can be overcome with some careful attention.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Consider that stereotyping doesn't substitute for cold hard facts about people. Start by looking at how many times people said things about you that weren't true. Analyze how they based their comments about you on assumptions they had about the group of people of which you were a part, perhaps.
Think back at a time you were guilty of stereotyping someone. Ask yourself how true your assumptions where when you finally got to know the individual whom you stereotyped. Chances are that your assumptions were proven wrong.
Determine what causes you to apply the stereotyping criterion that you use. For example, not all conservatives are religious, nor do all liberals want higher taxes. Understand that there are always several empirical facts that prove your stereotyping reasons wrong. Attempt to rid yourself of prejudices and biases that lead you to stereotyping people.
Adopt logic, critical thinking and application of actual facts in place of stereotyping people. Let people prove themselves to you. Let them define themselves. This gives better, more accurate data on someone than what you get when stereotyping them. For example, don't assume that the bookworm is a boring person.

anewme

Oh God yes! Its quite a sick hobby of mine. But I love to be surprised and add new knowlege to my guiding info.

But it is certainly not helping me to make new friends. Unlike Farkel I dont initially think all people are losers, but eventually I find fault with everyone and scratch them off my list.

I am not even on my list.

tec

I think we all have to fight against the stereotypes that we've been taught. And those stereotypes are usually wrong, in my experience. I personally love having one of my preconceived notions about someone blown apart. Reminds me how small and limited we really are.

Tammy

snowbird

I do.

Syl

minimus

We ALL do.

miseryloveselders

I stereotype people, and I view it like six in one hand and a half dozen in the other. It is what it is. I feel similar to Jaguarbass, and I don't have any background in law enforcement. However speaking from the perspective of growing up within the city, your not only taught stereotypes, but often enough your experiences reinforce your stereotypes. This morning for instance, I was stuck behind a bad driver. My first thought was its either an old man or an Asian, or some other foreigner. It turned out to be not only an Asian, but an Asian woman at that. Thats two stereotypes reinforced in one day. Here's the ironic part to me though. In my A-list of stereotypical bad drivers, women didn't make the list. Women are usually on my B-list of stereotypical bad drivers, particulary all black women, and young college aged white women. Today's candidate for worst driver of the year however, was Asian. Now I have to throw all women on the A-list of stereotypical bad drivers because of this lone Asian woman. Is it a legitimate reason to stereotype female drivers? Or even Asian drivers? Probably not to both questions.

A black female coworker tells me regularly that, "I aint shit", and she's probably right too. The reason why, is there's a ton of good female drivers of all ethnicities that don't make it on my radar because they're excellant drivers, so I never notice them. Considering that, its wrong of me to stereotype, but at the same time I believe I have legitimate reasons to continue to doing so, as exemplified by the sorry Asian female driver that ticked me off early this morning. Granted, the chances of me running into the same specific stereotype that she satisfied this morning, are slim, but it still left an impression.

sabastious

Sterotypes exist for a reason, cause most of them have a measure of truth to them.

Asians ARE bad drivers, jus sayin'

-Sab

Markfromcali

Okay lets just simplify this, there are people who stereotype and people who don't, so there.

Do YOU Stereotype People?

minimus

Farkel

blondie

How to Stop Stereotyping People

Instructions

anewme

tec

snowbird

minimus

miseryloveselders

sabastious

Markfromcali

Share this