stereotyping vs acknowledging cultural/gender/religious or other differences  

Hi miamilady! Yes, they are sort of related to one another. I do get what you meant and I do wonder why we just can't respect each other's individuality and accept the fact that we are different from each other in so many ways. We may even have the same color but we may have different views. We may be brothers and sisters but we may differ in character and personality. So it all boils down in accepting and respecting people of who and what they are so we will be accorded with the same respect and acceptance. Sometimes it is hard to do so but I usually tell myself to "treat others the way you want to be treated". Sorry don't want to sound preachy and all that! hehe..Just my thoughts. Take care and have nice day!

Being politically is all well and good, but most of us fail to recognize the fact that our differences are what gives us strength. Don't make fun of the differences incorporate them and make it an advantage. Everyone has weaknesses and the sign of true greatness is knowing what they are and making it work for you.

Stereotyping is just a way to gloss over things you don't want to deal with and pretending they don't matter. People need to step right up and face their differences and weaknesses or just be quiet.

Hello Miamilady,
As far as the law(at least in my area)we are not allowed to notice the differences in the workplace. I'm learning this real fast as a supervisor. Personally, I think we have already carried things way to far, girls generally like different things then boys, and for that matter they are allowed to wear better cloths. Most races are different from one another mainly because they are from different cultures or raised from someone that comes from a different culture. Gays, Bi's, straight's, transgendered and what ever else might be out there are all into different things and they all have different likes and dislikes that(for the most part) are common to their group. I hope this makes sense to you.
Take care, Terry

All you are doing is asking the same questions that alot of people are asking but the thing is you are really asking not just thinking them, that is a good thing. I have always said that even if just one person says something by the end of the day at least 10 more will be asking the same thing.....never be silent about things that are wrong, they don't get fixed that way.
There has always been difference's between culture's,not only in apperence but in faith as well, that is why we are in the mess that we are in...It seems that we all want to force our beliefs and ways onto everyone else instead of learning about them and accepting them.
There are rights and wrongs in all cultures and it is up to them to fix them,killing is not a good thing and should not be accepted in this way,honor killings,killing because of color,or religion.
It is amazing that even tho as women we have come far we still have along way to go and we cannot do it alone, we need to change the way that our Mothers think, and they think the way theirs did....this is a hard habit to break.It is the way they were trained and yes I used the word trained as that is what is was.
And YES! We as a people are too politicaly correct,we pull back on things that should be said as far as behavior is concerned. I think that it is horriable that a Black Comedian can call white people Cracker and if the N word is used then that is a lawsuit happening!!! Not good! The equality should go both ways not just one.
All this stuff as you called it, is related as it is life! But it is up to people like you and me to explore all the difference's and start the change.....

Yep I guess it is all related! First off I think these sort of things quite often too and I don't have the answers! I try not to stereotype people but rather hold off and wait to see what I think of them as an individual rather than jump to conclusions. Of course there are differences between the sexes, culture, religions etc but I believe these should be embraced and respected but above all we are all individuals and that is what matters most! Sorry if I can't answer your questions properly sweety but I di the best I could! xxx

I had this come up as MLK Jr. Day approached. There's one African American woman who works for our paper, and when it came to details of the parade in our town everyone naturally assumed she knew all the details. In fact, one elderly Southern woman even asked if she was going to ride in the parade.
I felt really uncomfortable with the line of conversation... even though I am a master of stereotyping and can often be shallowly judgmental.
It brought back other stereotypes that is no longer PC to use.
It's no longer a "blind date", but a first time chance encounter.
It's not Chinese food, or Japanese food, it's now Asian cuisine. Though I guess when you're in China and they want Chinese food, you just call it "food" over there.
A walk-in closet is insensitive to the handicapped.
A master suite invokes images of fuedalism and slavery.
A room with a view... the blind again.
Priced to sell implies in real estate that the neighborhood is on the downslide and the owners want out as fast as humanly possible.
It is assumed that men are better with directions because typically we do the bulk of the driving. I can say this...I get lost with the best of them. GPS systems aren't just for women.

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Hello Miamilady,

You present great questions to ponder in this thread.

Though it's long, I hope my answer will be helpful. At its worst, it will send a few pennies your way.

The human mind relies on the use of a variety of filters to organize input. These filters vary from person to person, and are created from both experience and education, as well as a conscious acceptance or refusal of certain data that may, or may not easily integrate with other accepted data. In as much as bigotry is a developed filter, so is the willingness to reserve judgement until data has been disected, and organized by and through multiple other filters.

Man's only inherent filter is the 'fight or flight' instinct; based on the fear of the unknown. This is a raw emotive reaction of the subconscious mind, which without the application of additional conscious filtering abilities, defaults to a physiological reaction, as opposed to a filtered, conscious decision. This instinct has been critical to the survival of mankind, and serves as only the most basic filter, which may be added to with other 'developed' filters, and may always override all other developed filters. All other filters are created AND perhaps developed, by way of conscious challenges.

Stereotypes are generalizations. In and of themselves they are harmless. They are simply another filter, derived from anectdotal evidence. A potential problem arises when an individual fails to recognize that ALWAYS there will be exceptions to generalizations. However, having those generalizations can be both useful and critical.

I'll demonstrate below with an example. Though bear in mind the subject, i.e. wild mushrooms, is (for the most part) irrelevant. What is relevant is the conversion from generalization to filter.

For example: A generalization is that eating wild mushrooms is dangerous. Anectdotal evidence suggests that consuming some wild mushrooms is fatal. Though, not all. The scientific model demonstrates that, in fact some wild mushrooms are poisonous. So the generalization warns us that unless we have the knowledge to differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms, that it is safer to avoid eating any wild mushrooms. One has the ability to choose to educate themselves about which are toxic, and which are not, either through trial & error, which is unwise, or by other means. And, if that choice is made, and the education acquired, then this education will serve as a future filter when harvesting wild mushrooms.

The above example demonstrates that generalizations are neither benevolent, nor malevolent. It's what we choose to do with those generalizations that becomes the issue.

Specifically with regard to bigotry: One cannot transition a generalization into judgemental belief(s) unless a choice is made to either: accept the generalization as fact, without regarding the absolute truth that always there will be exceptions, and to make no effort to consciously challenge the anectdotal evidence supporting the generalization. ** OR (and this is important), if there is no available experience or education with which to challenge the generalization.

For example: Social Scientists have identified that the time in USA history, most noteworthy with regard to diminshing racial bigotry was during, and immediately following WWII. This can be attributed to an increased level of personal experience and education about the effort that racial minorities contributed to the war effort. For some white people, this represented their first 'up close and personal' experience with people of other color. Conversely, during this time, many developed a filter that deemed whites of German and Japanese ancestry as hostile, aggressive, and dangerous. It's taken how many decades to undo the behavioral effects of this filter?

Now to your points: Yes, we are different. Though this is true to the most basic denominator: individuality. And yes, it's true that generalizations can be made about groups of individuals, based on known behavioral patterns. And yes, it can be helpful to consider those known behavioral patterns when interacting with others, though always we benefit from remembering the absolute truth that exceptions are a reality.

Specifically, why has it become acceptable for American Black comedians to joke about White people, but where the reverse is unacceptable? The answer has been defined by social scientists as "American White Guilt". Which is the (generally) irrational guilt that American Whites carry for their ancestor's participation in the slave trade, and their economic decision to enslave and supress other human beings, while knowing it was morally wrong.

As for the humor: if we have created and developed more complex filters, whereby we can see the absurdity of behaviors resulting from less complex or absent filters, then clearly there is an opportunity for us to mock ourselves and those who've come before us. This mockery constitutes a continuation of the filtering development process, as it serves to anchor the progress that we have made. However, if the attempt at humor serves to perpetuate a non-complex filter, or the absensce of reasoned filters, then it isn't funny. Hence, the reason why some jokes succeed and others fail to rouse laughter.

I would purport that those who react defensively when presented with such mockeries, are themselves in a state of conflict or challenge to the simpler to more complex filters relating to the subject matter. Those who do not react defensively have already challenged the generalizations, and have moved through their personal conflict over the subject matter.

Those who accept the presenter's attempt at humor regarding the mockeries are either: at peace with their own conscious filtering efforts, or are have not, as yet undergone or completed the filtering development process pertaining to the specific subject matter.

Taken down to its simplest: Some live the generalizations, because they have not yet created and developed more complex filters, or they are still developing those filters. While others embrace the humor, as an opportunity to anchor their own progress in creating and developing more complex filters.

For the Human species, this is a never-ending process. And, always individuals will be at different stages of the filter development process. Incidentally, this goes to explain why when those around us find something humorous, we're inclined to laugh, even if we don't really understand why the others are laughing. We perceive that 'we didn't get it', and rather than behave confoundedly, whereby we admit that we don't understand, many will simply pretend that they do 'get it'. Which isn't a bad thing, if it motivates the individual to seek to understand why they didn't 'get it'. After such query & investigation, the individual will choose to either accept or reject that which they didn't previously understand.

Make sense?

I am in total agreement.
It reminds me of an episode of Oprah from years ago.
Apparently Oprah had said something about white people either not putting paprika on deviled eggs or being the ones that do put it on (can't remember now, it's been too long). Apparently she got a lot of feedback about it because she retracted it in another episode shortly after.
There wasn't anything wrong with what Oprah said, it just wasn't true, lol. Sure we have cultural and visible differences. Sure men and women are different (Hello! Mars & Venus, lol). It's one thing to comment about liking Mexican or Chinese food, it's a whole different thing to presume to stereotype people.
Many people have a tendency to over generalize. Sometimes that's good, but often it is not.
I know, I'm jumping around a bit too, but it's a touchy topic. Let's not leave out the differently abled people, they too take a lot of discrimination, but let's face it. There are just some things that some differently abled people are not capable of. Should people be made to feel badly because of that...or because sometimes they mention that it wouldn't be a good idea to take so-and-so along on a hunting trip (or whatever) due to the fact that he/she is differently abled? Maybe he/she is a good shot, but how many would be willing to chance it? Maybe that's a poor example, but I can't think of a better one atm.
I really think political correctness is an infringement upon our rights to freedom of speech, but that is another issue. Even so, the PC kick has gone too far toward making us pretend that we are all the same when clearly we are not. Hell, stand me next to my own redheaded sister--we are clearly NOT the same.
Great food for thought, btw.

hmmmmmmmm I always thought rice was more in the way of food for the ajpanese and chineses than hispanincs /
But I still eat it lo l there are alot of foods from diffferent places I do like to eat!.
and as for men better on directions huh?
I think not they get lost faster than we do .
but then I was one that was born with an inner compass.
and knew from a real young age when my mom was going the wrong direction think she told me I was 2 years old.
and if going her way no tell where in Salt Lake City we would have ended up for she had got turned around when coming out of a movie house lol,
And I for one dont know about this being political correct a bunch of bunk to me for it seems to me like the citizens of America are always applogizing to others about something and I dont think that is right . Why should we appologize and not them when they something back to us that might hurt our feelings!