Stereotypes and labels wield a lot of persuasive power, intentionally or unintentionally in our daily lives.
We trust the labels on the commodities (clothes, foods, etc.) that we buy, often grabbing and purchasing without reading the fine print — totally unaware of the content or any changes, updates that could be there. And, yet we fancy ourselves as being informed consumers.
This tendency carries on in most aspects of our lives. We are often not in tune, sometimes totally oblivious, to how other labels – sociological, economic, political, racial, religious – affect how we go about our business on a day-to-day basis. This phenomenon is perfectly normal according to sociologists. Labels, symbols, rituals, like laws and rules, provide order to our society. Such practices determine the nature and quality of any civilization. The lack of norms causes the collapse of a civilization. So, labels and symbols, in and of themselves, are not bad.
How labels are used becomes the problem — when they evolve into negative stereotypes. Rightly or wrongly, we place people and things in “boxes” or categories to manage and guide our conduct toward them, and determine many other decisions we make. The real tragedy is that we can spend our whole lives never really understanding people who do not look like us. We remain totally ignorant of their rich culture.
A student group, Students Teaching About Racism in Society (STARS), (embed link to their site) at Ohio State University has decided to do something about that. The launched a poster campaign designed to stop the use of disparaging costumes during Halloween. The posters show students holding different racial and ethnic stereotypes in costume, which we have displayed at the bottom of this article
This poster campaign has lessons that can be applied beyond the holiday. The real message is that each minority or ethnic group is a culture, not a costume or some label or negative stereotype.
Many minority groups (and minority is a label with associated stereotypes) could testify about the impact labels and stereotypes have had on their ability, or lack thereof, to fully assimilate in society and enjoy the opportunities and privileges afforded “non-minorities.” Categorical and stereotypical labels can be harmful – very harmful. While they often provide a level of comfort and ease as one interacts in his/her environment, they often serve as blinders to the discovery of truth and determining reality.
For example some of the broad-sweeping labels and stereotypes of African Americans as a group include: “Blacks don’t vote,” “Blacks are lazy,” “Blacks are liberal,” “Blacks would rather get welfare than work,” etc. As a result, what could be strong political leverage by one of the nation’s largest minority group is significantly minimized because both candidates and African-American voters refuse to take steps to change these limiting, even crippling, stereotypical images, and labels.
One only has to think of a racial or ethnic group —Asians, Mexicans, Jews, Italians, Polish, Muslims, Arabs — to come up with a host of harmful stereotypes that form and shape our understanding and interaction.
How do labels and stereotypes color the lens through which you see people who are different from you? Do you take time to examine the truth of them?
What can we do, as individuals and as a society to minimize the use and negative impact of harmful and false stereotypes?
What do you think?
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Comments
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Stereotypes can become self-fulfilling prophecies. As the article mentioned, one such negative stereotype is that African-Americans don't work hard or would rather be on welfare. If employers buy in to this stereotype, or are even slightly influenced by it, it decreases the chances of them hiring someone of that background. Thus, less African-Americans are hired, and soon the stereotype seems to be even truer, because more of them do not have jobs. Yet instead of being caused by a lack of work ethic, this is then caused by a negative, and false, stereotype.
We cannot extract ourselves from the world of stereotypes. Each of us are influenced in subtle ways daily. Instead of pretending that we are immune to judging based on stereotypes, we must actively root out such prejudices. For example, before an interview with an African-American, an employer could remind him or herself that even though there is a negative stereotype, it is not true, and that the interview should focus on more than preconceived notions.
Giving credence to stereotypes is the problem?
I truly believe that because of the society in which I have grown up in, most of my generation does not really have stereotypes that color the lens. Sure there are stereotypes that we know, but I am not sure that we use them as a broad stereotype to all of the individuals in that group. I also think that because we are taught to question everything that we see and hear; that we inherently examine the truth of these stereotypes, coming to the conclusion that they cannot be true.
I am not sure that there is really anything you can do to minimize the impact of negative stereotypes. It is a personal choice to know that they mean nothing, and if you take them seriously maybe that says something about yourself more so than everyone else. Furthermore, the poster that the Ohio students put out I believe is taking things that are harmless and making them serious. How many times have you seen people dress up like: Kevin Federline, someone from a trailer park, a nerd, or any of the other Caucasian stereotypes. I think it boils down to this, until you start seeing race as unimportant people will give stereotypes more credence than they should get.
Costumes that perpetuate
Costumes that perpetuate harmful stereotypes about minorities should be considered as abhorrent as or even more so than racial slurs. Consider that Halloween is a holiday directed at children and that children will be the most influenced by the offensive costuming. We must continue to challenge insensitive or outright offensive behaviors no matter what for they take. I commend the students at Ohio State for taking a positive step in that direction.
Stereotypes&labels
Stereotypes and labels can be very harmful to people. Many people don’t like to be stereotype. I grew up in a home where I learned that it was not right to judge others based on race or anything for that matter. I agree with what the STAR students did. They proved that we have used race and ethnicity as a joke. We should not be judged by our background. Many people don’t know what others have gone through and instead of judging or stereotyping, people should take the time to get to know them. I think people who judge others or label others are ignorant and close-minded. We are all equal no matter what we look like or where we come from.
stereotypes
I have learned through the past twenty years of my life about stereotypes and how in the end, they are not true at all. Our society is full of stereotypes about every single person out there and there are so many wrong ways about that. It has been tough to try and break these stereotypes ideas but I have come along way since the first time I have heard these. I have to come out of my norm to do this and interact with a race different than mind and even though at first it is extremely hard and uncomfortable, in the end it all works out and I feel much better about that certain race and have built long term relationships with them.
Stereotyping
After 9/11 I was afraid to fly with Muslims on my plane. This was because of a stereotype that had developed after several terrorist attacks. Last year I watched a very interesting documentary called "Where In the World is Osama bin Laden?" In the documentary, the filmmaker traveled to some of the alleged countries of where Bin Laden might of been hiding. I was surprised to learn the opinion of many Muslims was so far from what I had preconceived. Stereotypes are like lies. They prevent us from learning the truth about people, places and things. I spent last semester in Oxford and got to travel to many countries. In these countries, when people learned I was from Texas, USA they had me stereotyped. It was very disheartening to hear what some of these people thought of Texans and Americans. The only way to prevent stereotyping in my opinion is to start from a clean slate with everything. Anytime I meet someone new I try not to assume anything about them until I have learned from that person. The same applies with places and things. If we can just stop judging books by their cover I think many stereotypes can be avoided.
Re: Stereotyping
I know that after taking a course in Power/ Privilege/Social Difference I have, like you, recognized several of the stereotypes and labels that I place on other people. Interestingly though, the labels that I conceive everyday seem to come from my unconscious thought. It is not as if I am constructing them every time I meet someone that in my mind carries a label, I have them stored in the depths of my mind. But I do feel that by recognizing that they are present I can somewhat control how they impact the way that I view and treat others. Eventually, I would like to move to changing the labels and stereotypes that I have for others. But I know that this change will come with time.
Reply
The news media certainly played a role in developing such fear of Muslims in the wake of the September 11 attacks by identifying every terrorist with his/her religion. In this case they (media) scape-goated Muslims.
can you hear me play through your STEREOtype
Stereotypes and labels can be extremely harmful. Chances are who ever you have put a label you've misjudged to some degree. I feel as though most people are the same at the core. With good well intended hearts. It goes against what I believe in to judge people especially by the color of their skin or the clothes on their back. The circumstance we are faced with in our lives is what molds in to the people we are. You do not know my story any more than I know yours; therefore you are not any right to judge. Judging is God's job and He does it well, so we need to leave it to Him to do so. We were ALL made in His image and we are ALL equal. We should treat others in the way we wished to be treated. If we all did how beautiful would this would be?
Stereotypes and Labels
Since I work with children, I often have the idea that children who are not white, somehow have a difficult home life whether economically, physically or emotionally. While I do not mean to assume thoughts like that, they still happen. With previous experience I have seen where that was the case but I am very surprised many of times by their home life. What I have had to start doing is basing my judgment on the individual instead of their culture background. The actions that one does should be what people recognize and not their skin color or the way they speak. This is a really difficult issue to overcome and it is a daily reminder to remain unbiased.
There are Always Surprises
What I’ve learned in all my years is that Life constantly surprises you. You start to feel as if you’ve ‘’figured” it all out, then a curve ball gets thrown your way, causing you to go back to the dugout and rethink your position. That’s the problem with stereotypes and labels. They are built upon expectations and generalizations and there is always something, or someone, that will challenge or break it down. Perhaps we need to offer courses on that one piece of wisdom that our grandparents tried to teach us: Life, and people, will always find ways to surprise you; it is best to just accept that. Don’t be a fool and think that you’ve “got it all figured out”.
stereotypes
Stereotyping someone from a young age unintentionally can influence their life as they grow up more than you can imagine. Being hispanic and growing up in a caucasian community was a bit hard as a child. As I got older and got closer to graduating from high school many parents would ask me, "oh so are you going to be going to college or are you just going to take a year off?" and I would look around and ask if anyone else was getting the same question I was. Many people tend to stereotype hispanics as that we go uneducated after high school or because we already have a child. And that's not true, although I know statistics show that hispanic girls tend to get pregnant at a young age. That doesn't mean that I all underneath the bar, and so by that people need to stop assuming stereotypes with someones race, because that can discourage them completely of what they are striving for.
Racial Stereotypes
In most cases I believe that stereotypes generalize about a small portion of a certain race which affects the entire group. Yes I know stereotypes can be both positive and negative also false and true, however most of the negative and falsified stereotypes can truly hurt the image of a race, gender, or ethnicity especially in politics. Just because a Muslim extremist group attacked the Twin Towers on September 11 not all Muslims are terrorist. I think sometimes society forgets that not all African Americans are a like just as not all Women are alike. We all express different views, physical characteristics, styles, and even political opinions.
I believe racial stereotypes are mostly created by the media today. I believe the best way to stop this, is through education and the people within the US needs to stand up to media outlets. Force media to speak the truth and respect the people of this nation.
Ethnic/racial stereotypes
I believe that most people that view others through the prism of stereotype do so in ignorance, not because they are racist. However, for the problem of ethnic/racial stereotyping to be reduced in American society, both the print and electronic media have a duty to educate people about the dangers of using racial stereotypes. Television shows that promote such labels (stereotypes) should either be sanitised or pulled off the air.
Also, parents have an obligation to teach their children to accept peoples of different ethnicity or race for who they are (individual personality).
Well as human beings we form
Well as human beings we form schema's and stereotypes to categorize the world. Although it helps us with our thinking and cognition, it can also harm the way in which we treat people. We perform the behavior out of necessity, but it appears from this dialog that our stereotypes and behaviors can hurt one another and be more of a hindrance. However, what we should do is recognize that these stereotypes are there and how to control them when they arise.
Stereotyping
Stereotypes, since they are so common to our day-to-day well-being, can easily be mistaken to many Americans and people in general. It is easy to judge a stereotype and for it to become the “common truth”. Being a minority myself I have a lot of experience with this type of stereotyping, especially in elementary school I was teased for being “smart” or just looking smart because I was of Asian descent. This type of stereotype didn’t hurt me but I could imagine stereotypes of Mexican, black people, and now Muslims being exteremly offensive. It is hard to imagine that because there are more African Americans in prison; African Americans must be more dangerous. This is obviously not true and there are other factors involved. It is important to think objectively at what you are being told and what you believe yourself.
The poster “we are a culture, not a costume” is a great idea by Ohio State University, it shows how ignorant Americans can be and that it is not okay to let the media create negative perceptions of races and ethnicities. With this type of movement everyone can relate no matter what type of race you are.
Stereotypical Labeling
Stereotypes can alter the view you have of people who are different than you in the way that you begin to categorize people under one main label and framework, and then you begin to take away from the unique individual qualities and characteristics of any one particular racial or ethnic group. These characteristics, instead of being cherished as qualities that make the culture more rich, end up being the scrutinizing factors by which we judge racial and ethnic groups outside of our own. When I stop to think about the "truth" that lies behind any one particular stereotype it sickens me because the truth is that bigotry and hatred have become the dividing line between ethic groups, even if the stereotype is depicted as a positive one. For example, asians are often stereotyped as smart, but not all asians are smart, and the fact that each asian can be thrown into a category marked as smart simply because of their appearance is wrong on all levels. The problem with labeling is that we end up separating ourselves from one another, when in reality we are all a lot more alike than different.
What We Can Do
I am not considered to be a member in a minority group, but the high school I attended had the largest number of minority students in the district. Even though the color of my skin does not make me a minority, the quality of the education I received was questioned by my friends from other schools. I was ranked in the top 30 of 780 students and I heard comments like, "The competition wasn't as high" or "Your curriculum had to be modified to accommodate others." I was asked questions like, "Do you have metal detectors when you enter and leave the buildings?" or "Do you feel safe walking around your campus?" I was shocked to hear all of these comments and that people would even think of such things. I got a taste of what it is like for your hard earned success to be dumbed down or questioned and for how hurtful stereotypes can be. A revelation from the article I liked was that it's not the stereotype itself, but it's the actions that come with the stereotypes. People treat others differently based on their physical appearance without even trying to understand them, and it is they who will miss out on the richness of other's cultures.
Labels and Stereotypes
As "imperfect" human beings, we as a society tend to form certain ideas and views about people. Some of the thoughts and ideas may be intentional and some may not be. Stereotypical ideas come to mind regardless of whether or not it was intended, that is because everyone is different and that's okay to see those different characteristics and to be curious, what gets society into trouble is labeling and stereotyping negatively based on a person's appearance. I think as a society in order to minimize and reduce these labels is by getting to know the person and seeing them for who they are in regards to their interests, likes/dislikes, sense of adventure, etc rather than where they live or what type of job they have. I also believe it is very important to teach younger generations as they are in childhood to be accepting of others and their differences rather than teaching children the same way the parents/grandparents were raised as since we are in completely different times and things have changed. I do feel that the media plays a part in how we place labels, seeing certain tv shows, movies, and the news, we tend to categorize certain individuals who look similar in background, appearance, and clothes together. All we can do is progress, to learn and accept each other for who are and get to know one another.
Trapped in a society...
Growing up as one of those "minorities" was never at all disturbing until I finally completely understood what this was. In school we are taught that we must not judge and that we should treat people the way we want to be treated. Now growing up I realize that this was never easy. Not only are many of us not treated the way we are supposed to be, many of us are also belittled because of the stereotypes and labels put upon us. It is hard for us to truly express ourselves when we are labeled and that is where I think many come to judge so quickly. "Oh she's Mexican she must work as a cleaning lady, or he's Black so he must be ghetto, and even she's Asian so she must have passed her math classes with A's." These labels and stereotypes make it harder for us because we are expected to live by them as if they were our own constitution. The faster time goes by the stereotypes and labels never really cease to exist because they continue to carry on from generation to generation no matter if we liked it or not. I just wished that there could at least be an improvement and decrease in the number of people who just let this topic slide.
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