Why are stereotypes often true?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 May 2007, 18:09

Although it may seem like it, I don't really like stereotyping. It is part of human nature to make blind judgements and broad generalisations on people, naturally to be better beings we should avoid doing the aforementioned as much as possible. It is simply hard to do and the people around you in the world don't make it any easier. It disappoints me when people prove their stereotypes to be true and I've observed that this is most of the time.

I witness loads of bad East Asian and Elderly drivers; East Asians are very xenophobic and would rather interact with their own race; pretty blonde women are often tarty sluts; white straight males are really homophobic; white people are bad at sports compared to coloured people; Pacific Islanders are stupid; Muslims are hypocrites; people of "newer" (formered in the last 300 years or so) Christians denominations are batshit crazy; gay men are flamboyant, have high-pitched voices and have effeminate mannerisms... I could go forever.

The people who are supremacists, passionate open racists and sexists, etc. most love how people just line themselves like targets in a shooting gallery for them, with massive bulleyes painted on their arses.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 13 May 2007, 18:59

Most of my mates aren't homophobic at all (including me).

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 May 2007, 19:01

Me neither

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 13 May 2007, 21:32

You forgot to mention how New Zealanders love to take their frustrations out by spamming/trolling on random internet boards.

Oh hang on...

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 13 May 2007, 23:40

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 14 May 2007, 00:30

Stereotyping people or rather groups of people is a form of getting an idea of what these groups are like when you don't want to/have the time to look into their culture. When we don't really understand a culture, we prefer to have a stereotype image of them, since it is quicker and easier than performing a lengthy research and it is better than having no image of that foreign culture at all.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 May 2007, 01:47

BiscLimpkit wrote:You forgot to mention how New Zealanders love to take their frustrations out by spamming/trolling on random internet boards.

Oh hang on...

God forbid that I try to start a serious discussion thread in this subforum.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 14 May 2007, 02:07

EvaUnit02 wrote:
BiscLimpkit wrote:You forgot to mention how New Zealanders love to take their frustrations out by spamming/trolling on random internet boards.

Oh hang on...
God forbid that I try to start a serious discussion thread in this subforum.

Well... you have over 5000 posts and this is your first attempt at starting a serious discussion. Us European people tend to be a bit skeptical in these cases....

Anyway, stereotypes... I dont know... when I'm on the beach and a fat german tourist next to me is busy for hours digging a huge hole for whatever reason ("What? Holland not low enough for ya? You're preparing a ditch to guard yourselfs against the incoming English bombers What the fuck are you doing digging a fucking hole for hours when it's 30 degrees, you freakin lunatic!") than yeah, stereotypes are true. And when I go out for yamcha with chinese people, they tend to order a humongous table full of all kinds of dishes, then shove everything my way, and at the end of the dinner, when half of the food is still left on the table, we all come to the conclusion that maybe I was right that perhaps we DID order a little bit too much, so we end up leaving the restaurant with 2 huge doggybags (I could make a chinese dog-eating joke here, but I wont) and 100 bucks lighter...

Anyway, we will always come across stereotypes that turn out to be true, or close to the truth. I dont care really. It says nothing about the persons themselfs. I dont pay much attention to it, but I'm not bothered when people use stereotypes in jokes or whatever. Some people start shouting that making fun of stereotypes, or base their jokes on stereotypes, would be racist, but TBH if the joke is funny, I dont care if some feel it's racist.
A joke is either good or bad. Nothing else.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 14 May 2007, 02:50

Stereotypes are usually exaggerated versions of the truth (but they don't account for everyone).

So yes, many Scots drink too much, have unhealthy diets, talk too fast (or like a 5 year old if you're a chuchter), hate the English, wear Kilts, are nationalist bigots, shag sheep (I'm assuming...), penny pinch (esp. Aberdonians), are bearded scruffs with hairy backs.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 May 2007, 04:54

Markgway wrote:penny pinch (esp. Aberdonians)

Yeah, I bet the retarded performers at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival are more than aware of this stereotype.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 14 May 2007, 08:44

Chuchter?

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 14 May 2007, 13:09

Penny pinching?!

I find that hilarious coming from a Scumdonian.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 15 May 2007, 00:57

Oh, come on, Aberdonians are the worst for being stingy. That's a well known fact. We Dundonians have our own flaws for sure, but Aberdonians are known nationally for being tighter than a nun's fanny.

Speaking of stereotypes, Bisc, shouldn't you be off making a curry...?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 15 May 2007, 15:41

gasteropod wrote:Most of my mates aren't homophobic at all (including me).

grim_tales wrote:Me neither

You say that now, but how would you react if one of your friends shouted out "Hey I'm bored, let's have a circle jerk!"

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 15 May 2007, 16:37

Being homophobic is a little different to turning down gay sex...

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 15 May 2007, 17:38

Dont turn it down then

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 15 May 2007, 17:41

Markgway wrote:Oh, come on, Aberdonians are the worst for being stingy. That's a well known fact. We Dundonians have our own flaws for sure, but Aberdonians are known nationally for being tighter than a nun's fanny.

Speaking of stereotypes, Bisc, shouldn't you be off making a curry...?

Honestly, that's the first I've heard of it. Sheep shagging, sure but being stingy is not something I've associated with Aberdonians. It doesn't make sense considering all of the wealth in that city.

As for the other comment... I'll probably start after my shift at the call centre.

Hmm I guess I have two lots of stereotypes to put up with.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 16 May 2007, 19:47

BiscLimpkit wrote:Honestly, that's the first I've heard of it. Sheep shagging, sure but being stingy is not something I've associated with Aberdonians. It doesn't make sense considering all of the wealth in that city.

Yeah, and that's why Aberdeen is wealthy.

Seriously I'm surprised you've never heard that before... although I don't suppose it's something Aberdonians say too often.

Go to another city and raise Aberdeen as a subject and you'll see...

As for the other comment... I'll probably start after my shift at the call centre.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 17 May 2007, 13:20

I'll try that. The comments will probably be mild in comparison to what they'll say about Dundee.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 17 May 2007, 13:58

Ah but do either of you two live in the ugliest town in the world.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 17 May 2007, 16:37

I think I might move there. 8)

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 17 May 2007, 20:54

It's not nearly as glamourous as it seems in that article.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 18 May 2007, 00:35

Even better.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 21 May 2007, 23:32

Stereotyping, as has been said, is a mechanism for the brain to gauge and assign information in a very short span of time.
The whole 'all Asians look alike' thing is an example of visual stereotyping. If you have very little exposure to Asians, then it can be difficult to tell differences. Once your exposure increases, it becomes far easier to identify between the races.
This pans out to other forms of identification - traits that one's mind attempts to associate with a race, despite someone from their own race having exactly the same trait.

It's just one of those things. Everyone stereotypes about something; can't help an evolutionary trait. It's up to the individual to see past the surface.

Bullets 'n' Babes

Why are stereotypes often true?

Why are stereotypes often true?

Re: Why are stereotypes often true?