I am currently enrolled in a class called Cultural Diversity (ETH/125) for one of our discussion question we had to talk about stereotyping and how it affects everyday life. I feel this issue is of great concern for our children’s future, if we do not try and stop the stereotyping we could be facing even greater dangers in our future. I feel that we can start by teaching our children to respect people regardless of their race, culture, religion that the violence and or hatred will not occur as often. Yes I am aware that it will always be a problem and I hope that with our children we can eventually fix it.
The act of grouping people would be like taking the medical professionals which includes doctors, nurses and pharmacists you would be able to prove that’s these people are in fact medical professionals. Stereotyping is more where you assign certain traits to a group of people. For example: Americans are friendly and generous, but they can also be arrogant and impatient. Asians are shrewd and reserved. I have found that not all of the Americans are friendly and generous and not all of the Asians are shrewd. I believe that if you assume that all people are the same and do not stop to look at the individual most of the time you will have made some errors in the person’s character. The difference is one you can prove and the other is an assumption.
Stereotyping effects group relation like this. In the medical profession you have many different doctors and nurses from different cultures and race they know how to do their jobs and do it pretty good. Now if you were to see these same people on the street dressed in normal clothes and were unaware that they were doctors some people would automatically assume they came to this country just to have a different life and are no good, without even the thought that this person could have saved their life in the hospital. (This goes on every day where I live.)
Give an example of an everyday stereotype in my life, paragraph two would be a good answer for this example. We have a lot of foreign doctors and nurses that work at our local hospital. The last few times I have been there I have seen other people refuse treatment because they were Iraqi’s and blame them for what happened on 9/11. The sad thing is this doctor is a natural born U.S. citizen and has lived in Northern Michigan all of his life. He had nothing to do with 9/11 but yet just because of his race he is automatically put in that category. I know this doctor personally; he saved my oldest sons life in 97. My son was only 3yrs old then he is now 14 alive and very healthy because of this doctor.
On a personal note:
My grandmother raised my sister and I to treat everybody the same regardless of their race and how they chose to live their life. I am not a racist person; I hate stereotyping or even assuming that the next person on the street may be a killer or a rapist ECT. I believe that everybody should be treated equally regardless of who they are or where they came from.
I would like to know what your thoughts are on stereotyping. Answer these few questions then add your own personal note relating to how your parents had raised you and how you are today.
1. What differentiates the act of grouping people from the act of stereotyping?
2. How can stereotyping effect group relations?
3. Give an example of a stereotype you find in your everyday life.
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Personally, I think there's a cycle here. We stereotype, then people begin to act that stereotype out so we do it more.
As to your questions: 1. I think that grouping people is more like lumping someone because of some undeniable trait, like your example about medical professionals, or by saying that all people with US citizenship are Americans, it's an undeniable trait, but stereotyping is just making an assumption, like all cheer leaders are preps or all blonds are dumb.
2. Like I said before, I think it effects groups because people will actually try to fit those stereotypes. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a black person say to another, "You're studying? You're so white!" That's ridiculous!
3. I go through this everyday. I'm smart, but I'm by no means a nerd with no social life. I'm a good, middle class, white kid so people assume I have no problems...if only they knew. When I was a cheerleader everyone thought I was stuck up and now that I do debate everyone thinks I'm a nerd. I hate it because none of them are right.
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Do you find it odd that you are not as strong as you once thought?
3.) I'm a man-hating pervert out to recruit young children into my deviant lesbian lifestyle.
2.) If groups hold stereotypes about one another, they cannot have an honest dialog about anything. One group will always be cautious of the other's motives, or the stereotypes will invalidate their opinion or experience (like, of COURSE you think perverts should be allowed to get married-- you ARE a pervert).
1.) This is a more difficult question, especially when one strives for cultural competence. In my education classes, we are taught to be aware of the values and customs of the various groups in our community, but that we shouldn't assume that everyone in that group subscribes to them. It's a fine line to walk. On the one hand, you want to be able to put yourself in their shoes; on the other hand, you can't really put yourself in their shoes.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman