Philosophy: Stereotypes

I hate stereotypes and make a point of dissolving them whenever I hear them. Whether it's Americans making stereotypes about foreigners, foreigners making stereotypes about Americans, or stereotypes of various races, etc. it bothers me to no end. Many stereotypes are true some of the time, but never all of the time.

A lot of stereotypes are meant in jest, but can be interpreted by the affected person very differently. Some of my ancestors are from Norway, and we tell Ole and Lena jokes without a second thought. I know black/Asian/Hispanic people who tell black/Asian/Hispanic jokes without a second thought. For me to tell the same black/Asian/Hispanic joke can be interpreted radically different.

Some stereotypes are used simply as an excuse to hate someone. The best quote I've heard on the subject is this:

Don't hate someone because of a stereotype. There are so many reasons to hate a person on an individual basis.

Not quite the best overall message, but you get the point.

It's something to work on. No matter how open-minded people are, it still takes a while to break the habit. I explained all of this to a friend of mine, and they asked me if I thought all Americans had this problem... Missed the point completely.

The point is, never say "all _____" or "_____ always"... Ever since I was little, I seemed to be a liaison between all of the different groups of people I knew. I make a point to get to know other traditions and cultures and religions and to respect their differences. No stereotypes are true all the time, and if you believe they are, you'll miss out on getting to know some very special people.