About stereotypes: Should we avoid all of them, or is there a use for positive stereotypes?

Question

Gaila, you are a sweetie! =0)

Answer 1

If there was no use for them we wouldn't have them to start with.

Assuming everyone is like the sterotype and prejudging is dangerous. We are each individuals.

.....But I'm still going to avoid a group of unscrupulous looking 20 something males when I'm out walking at night.

Answer 2

Stereotyping is a required tool for living in a big city. Personally, I have enough trouble keeping track of a couple dozen friends, I do not want to try and understand several thousand individuals.

If you mean ethnic stereotyping, it is is a little more difficult. I do not know what heritage a perfect stranger has nor which ones they choose to emphasize; I can look for certain clues that they might proudly wear to help me know them quickly (if you word it carefully, most people are proud to talk about there heritage).

Making friends is basically converting a stranger (stereotype) into a person (individual).

Anyone that lives up to a stereotype (has no apparent depth) deserves to be treated as one.

Add: I grew up in the 80's when it was popular to wear lots of accouterments to express your interests: band t-shirts, political buttons, flags, patches, necklaces, earrings, etc. I could strike up a conversation with a stranger, and know that we had something in common. Some friends and I labeled this "gypsy-with-a-small-letter-g" (not the real Romany, the stereotype). Every bangle had a story.
It seems that many of the newer generation wear flair (as it has been named) for the look and that they often do not know the meaning of what they are wearing.

Answer 3

Betti: This is a tough question. Overall, I think stereotyping is wrong as it negates individuality based on preconceived assumptions. I tried to think of some positive stereotypes and even when a stereotype was positive, I could see how it could be harmful in some situations.

We hear a lot about profiling (i.e. racial esp) and that is really the same thing as stereotyping.

Still I do see the point some have made that you would be wise to avoid certain people in certain situations.

Its really a tough decision to make.

Answer 4

Stereotyping, while seen by many as negative and harmful, has a number of beneficial uses for societies. One of these is in the purpose of uniforms which encourage a healthy stereotype to facilitate public service (such as a fireman or police officer) or a business. In many cases, it is not practical to know an individual in order to quickly make an important assessment, hence the need for people to make judgments about an individual based solely upon membership in a group (definition of stereotype) becomes important. For example: a person who is fleeing a fire and sees someone wearing the uniform of a firefighter will immediately make special judgments about that individual such as strength, knowledge of the situation, willingness to help, etc. These judgments were not made due to any individual knowledge about the person, but were made solely upon identification of group membership. That the fleeing individual was able to recognize the firefighter means the healthy stereotype was successfully learned. What if the fleeing individual had never learned of the firefighter stereotype?

Answer 5

I think the idea that all stereotypes should be avoided is faulty. We use stereotypes all the time just to get by. We stereotype people as being non-violent so that we aren't running scared all of the time.

Answer 6

Stereotypes are ok if they are taken from the majority.

Examples:
Don't stereotype Muslims as terrorists because there is such a small percentage of the world's Muslims who commit terrorist acts.

Poles are not (all) stupid.

Not all African-Americans are "gangsta"


"There are two types of people in this world that I cannot stand: Those who are intolerant of other cultures, and the DUTCH." - Nigel Powers

Answer 7

I think you should avoid steriotypes. I live in Ireland, and no one is like this:

*Man walks into pub*
Men: Howya doin' Paddy!!!
Paddy: Howya! Get me a Guiness! Two! Eight! A barrel of Jack Daniels!

Hours later:

Paddy: Ah, boys, ya shoulda sen 'im. An sheog! An caile! A little man! A fairy! and I said to 'im, I said: 'Now where's yer gold, li'l' fellah, and the b*stard ran up me pants.

Hours later:

All:LOW LIES THE FIELDS OF ATHENRY!!!
*All fall in drunken stupour


I don't even know anyone called Paddy!

Answer 8

there is a use for both positive and negative stereotypes, but when someone is presented with the opportunity to get to know a particular person, they should do so.

Answer 9

not at all, coz the day u assume something is true, that is when u start to be happy with it and stop looking for more knowledge

Dont stop ur curiosity ever!

Keep on learning always...

Answer 10

stereo typing is needed and will be done forever. But shouldn't be used to insult people