Tuesday, April 16, 2013
COM 250 / Wk. #3 Discussion: How Does Stereotype Lose Its Innocence?
Everyday we are overwhelmed with too much sensory stimulus. We choose to focus our attention on the most representative part of the information. With this, we form our cognitive representation (or cognitive map). Over time, this cognitive representation was condensed and solidified into stereotype to help us flip through the information quickly everyday without the burden of examining each detail. It seems that stereotype has been an innocent tool for us to get a grip on the ever changing world. Yet, stereotype has a very negative connotation right now in the U.S.. Stereotype has lost its innocence. How come that stereotype become a nasty thing?
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According to this question, the implication is that stereotyping has not always had a negative meaning. It is also possible that different cultures around the world view stereotyping in a positive light. However, due to the cohort effect, I have grown up in a time when the word "stereotype" has an extremely negative connotation. The text describes stereotyping as the process of creating schemas that overgeneralize attributes of a specific group.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible that the individualistic nature of American culture has produced negative qualities with stereotyping. Primarily because popular culture promotes being associated to many different subgroups as a unique person instead of being labeled as "that type of person".
Another possibility is that negative characteristics became the norm for stereotyping and therefore, no one likes the personal image it produces.
It could be in one or both and possibly more ways that stereotyping has "lost its innocence". Upon hearing a stereotype about a particular culture, ethic group, or other division of people, it is often wrong of even the majority.
Stereotype loses its innocence when it resist change. Stereotype is a temporary labeling of a group of things/people. When the circumstances change, those labeling becomes obsolete. But people are a bit lazy to adjust their labeling. Media pander to our stereotype to make a quick narrative of the complex world. Over time, stereotype become prejudice and racism.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part,I agree with your comment about people being lazy about adjusting their labeling, but I think some are just tought as children, steryotypes about different things. For instance. My wife was raised in Baton Rouge. For many years she had a stereotype image of black people, and was afraid of them.( she actually thought they would kill her). Now since she has many friends of different races that image no longer exsists. I am thankful for that. At one time people had steryotyped me as an excellant pilot. But I didn't really fit the mold of Tall, Dark and Handsom. Just handsom. So in that case it was a positive thing. People can be steryotyped as good students, workers etc. So I believe it can be positive when people want it to be. But agree that normally it has a negative conotation.
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