Now I understand that stereotypes are bad and I personally don't like them myself. But I also know people can't help it when they see someone who fits one. I wondered that today while I was in a SUPER Wal*Mart with my cousin. There was a McDonalds there and that was when I saw these two men.
Just for a second I want to try something. Ready? I want you to get an image together when you think of the word Southern. And I mean Southern as in Southern United States, you know like all the ones below the Mason Dixon Line or whatever its called. I bet I can guess what you were just thinking to a certain extent. I am guessing you imagined famers, or men in overalls, women in poor dresses, run down schools, and non-hygenic people.
These two men sitting at McDonalds personified this to a T. But the funny thing is I just couldn't believe what I saw when I saw them, I mean no one here is like that in the least, so to actually see what you imagined in the paragraph above just boggled my mind.
I wondered why if people hated stereotypes so much they would tend to do that and fit them. I'm sure if approached these men would be nothing but nice, but the point I'm trying to get across I guess is that if people don't want to be classified into a certain category why do they act the way they do to get them put in that category in the first place?
2 comments:
that's a good question liza. and why do people feel so intimadated by other people. we are jus all people. i think that stereostypes are just going to be with us forever, it's like a bad habit....but the least we can do is just approach someone instead of making a quick decision.
Because sometimes people act the way they do because they are just thinking about what needs to get done, and don't care what other people think. A farmer is in his farming cloths, no point in putting on fancy cloths to go get them dirty while farming. And then he realizes he needs to go into town to get something real quick. No point in changing, hes already dressed , who cares, its what was most convenient for him. And then whiles he out he needs to grab a bite to eat, hence Mcy Ds. Its not about acting a certain way to get put into a category, its about acting what ever way you want, that gets you through your day. People just like to generalize, sort things out in their heads. Thats why they make categories. I for one am fine with generalizations it makes it easier to argue obnoxious points. (i do that alot) And im willing to be 10000 dollars that those farmers there weren't acting like farmers simply to be put into the category of farmers, but because they were farmers.... makes sense
-Brian Shaver
(America Love it or Leave it)
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