I hold two country/continent/whatever prejudices. One, Europeans are the most bigoted people on earth. (remember, stereotypes are a kind of shorthand, they are true of most of the people you encounter of that group, not all). They say "zomg Americans are all shallow stupid, and lazy" and yet...well, I'll let number two explain......
The other prejudice I hold is that America is more culturally diverse than any other country on earth, since all the other countries are pretty much small and all the same type of land and whatnot, not gonna go in detail...
Think about it like this, where a european has a stereotypical view of germany, brittain, spain, or ukraine, we have stereotypical views about texas, idaho, maine, or california. Each state is like a european country with it's own unique cultures and inherent charecteristics. I see Europena countries as much more unified in their own styles of life and whatnot.
still.....
I'd like to know about Finland.
WTF is up with them, the only stereotype I know is that they exist. I don't think I've ever heard ANY news, or ANYTHING about them, as far as I know it doesn't even exist (do cartographers lie?) is it just an unpopular place?
god why am I posting in this thread....
Anyway, this is what I believe. I believe that all steretypes are true in the
context of experience. What we do when we encounter a new group is dissiminate the information about them that seems true of the majority, and then define that group that way. If the only Americans you see are stupid (even though we invented more than a billion percent of new technologies) then that's the stereotype you hold. If I see everyone from Spain as having rediculous looking mullets, than that's the stereotype I hold.
There's nothing wrong with stereotypes themselves, they are the only way to talk about a group in general, there isn't even anything wrong with negative stereotypes. WHAT IS WRONG, is when we foget that they are not true of everyone in the group, and that we aren't familiar enough with the group to form an accurate picture.
For example, I often say French people are assholes. Well, every French person I've met is an asshole, one guy robbed my friend after we helped him out, and my sociopath uncle is obsessed with france. It's also really hot and humidd in paris. Since I've never seen anything positive or good, about france and its people, then it's ok that I think they are all assholes. Still, I WANT TO BE PROVEN WRONG.
In short, sometimes you need to talk about a group in generalities, and you use the general aspects that you know and have experienced. It's like saying "all cows are white and black." Sure, there's alot of brown ones, but there's no reason to mention that in passing, since most you have seen are white and black.
I probably shouldn't have posted this, but I like expressing my opinions
sry.
p.s. seriously, what...just, finland? what?
by Sathor on Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:18 pm 
)