| Stereotyping is a Necessity of Society What is society? Society is the norm; knowing what is what and mostly not caring about the "why" or "how." This action is identified as stereotyping, a form of almost-prejudiced labeling that is intended to protect those who fall into this "norm" of society from those who don't qualify. Society fears and thus stereotypes what it does not know, and although that fear is usually irrational, it is sometimes valid. In the essay entitled "Classifications," S.I.Hayakawa examines many methods of classification. He discusses why humans classify and defines �snap judgments.� Most importantly, he addresses the subject of stereotyping. In this article, it is clarified that, despite the "truth," what "society wants," society gets. Stereotyping is a form of classification--a method of identification. This form of truth/untruth is a lethargic approach to classify something...or someone. Why do we stereotype? "Society...regards as 'true' those systems of classification that produce the desired results." (Hayakawa, 126.) We stereotype out of the unfamiliarity of the unknown. Stereotyping is a necessity of society, no matter how brash the stereotype. There are many forms of stereotyping, from a genre of music to the labels of races. This form of classification is evident in all forms of society, and in all social aspects of life. Virtually everyone has been stereotyped, including myself. People who don't know me often judge me faultily. Hayakawa defines this as snap judgment. "...The way in which we block the development of our own minds by automatic reactions." (124.) This implies that people critique things with no viable prior knowledge: "That person looks dangerous, I'll stay away from her!" People look at me and assume I am a corrupt person; probably due to the fact hat I am just under six feet tall and have dark features---not at all dainty and prim, as a little lady should be. Someone once told me that I looked like a gladiator. I didn't know how to react--I was a little offended, but what could I have said? The remark was an innocent "automatic reaction," a snap judgment. There have also been numerous kids who have come up to me and asked if I would beat someone up for them, because I seem menacing and dangerous enough to want to do it. To the contrary, I choose to stay out of fights. I could easily join in--and win--but I would rather remain passive. Although I'll admit to being a little offended that people hold these "snap judgments" against me, I will also admit that it is not such a bad thing. In actuality, such a judgment could be beneficial, even necessary. People assume that I could smear them, so they won't mess with me. This has its advantages when walking alone down a dark street. As I said earlier, labeling is a form of protection--however provincial and unruly it is. The process of labeling teaches a person lessons to survive. "Classification...determines our behavior toward the object or event classified." (Hayakawa, 127.)--In general, a person would make the observation: "That looks dangerous, I wouldn't want to be affiliated with it," or, "Hey, that seems nice, therefore it's safe." This method is neither foolproof nor logical--No one should ultimately judge a book by its cover. Despite that, categorizing certain things with other things and against other things--stereotyping--is what defines a society: apples and oranges, good and bad, right and wrong, stupid and smart. Above all other instances, people are stereotyped most. This begins in the classroom at an early age with friendship cliques. Clique A does not and will not conform to Clique B, and thus, each clique stereotypes and ostracizes the other. This ability to separate apples from oranges becomes forever ingrained into the minds of the young students. No doubt you would label a person drunkenly ambling down a dark street as dangerous. That suspicious character may or may not be such, but nothing could make you walk up to that stranger and carry on a friendly conversation. Ultimately, you are safe from the possibility of that person being dangerous. A similar instance occurs in Lieh Tzu's fable, "The missing Axe," where a man becomes suspicious that the neighbor boy stole his axe. Jumping to conclusions, the man imagines that the boy "walked like a thief, looked like a thief, and spoke like a thief." When the man discovered that the boy was entirely innocent, the boy suddenly "walked, looked, and spoke like any other child." Had the man never found his axe, he would have never trusted the boy again. The same could be true for an entirely contrary circumstance, where the culprit was caught and never trusted again. That culprit would be forever labeled "thief." Thus, stereotyping is effective. In conclusion, stereotyping has both its negative and positive outcomes. Snap judgments, however crude, actually protect people in some cases. Labeling designates a semi-truth according to society, and perhaps protects people as well. While stereotyping could be taken too far and hurt a person's feelings, society could not exist without it. It is necessary for society. Chelsea Rickert, 2002 |