There is a basis
It would be extremely stereotypical for me to write about not stereotyping. Instead of getting in a big huff over the issue, people need to relax and laugh at the situation. People laugh at stereotypes because everyone usually feels they have a little bit of truth behind them. Jeff Foxworthy is a rich man because of stereotyping. So is Dave Chappelle, and Richard Pryor laid the groundwork for all of them.
After spending my freshman year at UNCW in International House, I’ve found that there is a lot of basis for many stereotypes. James the English kid was the biggest drunk in the dorm. He also thought that he knew everything about American politics and once tried to argue the pronunciation of Jalepeno. He believed that it was pronounced ‘Jalapeno’ and not ‘Halapayno.’ His reasoning? His people invented the language, thus, he was correct.
James’ favorite pastime was engaging in drinking contests with the Irishman, Columb. It would generally end with unintelligible trash talking and things being broken.
Jake the Australian also had a strong interest in alcohol, nightly meetings with random females and a love for surfing. ‘Footy’ was watched via streaming video online and he didn’t ever let things get to him.
I’ve lived with two Indians for the past two years and they’ve let me in on a lot of their own stereotypes of themselves. Nearly every adult in the family is a doctor or owns a gas station. They’re a big, loud bunch of people who like to have fun. They don’t like spending money, but when they do things, they go all out.
Then of course there were those that disproved the stereotypes. My former roommate was from India and wasn’t pre-med or a math major. His family didn’t own a hotel and he didn’t work at a gas station.
Another former roommate was a black guy who is an environmentalist that doesn’t crave fried chicken or Kool Aid. He listens to underground rock music and plays a lot of basketball.
The first day that I moved into the dorm I got to experience a lot of that same stereotyping. I was asked which frat I was joining because I had my Polo shirts neatly pressed and hung in my closet. A black guy came running into my room because he heard west coast rap blaring from my speakers. My braided hair while wearing a nice, collared shirt drew plenty of funny looks.
My roommate for the past four years didn’t know many white people after growing up in a large Indian population in Canada. He was surprised to find out that my family didn’t sit down for dinner together every night, we didn’t own a dog and didn’t own every Jack Johnson album. He wasn’t surprised to find that my parents were divorced because ‘all white parents are’ and that I liked mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes have been nominated as the whitest food of all time.
One of my favorite experiences was when I was standing in line waiting for food at the mall. A teenage black male informed me that I was ordering from wrong end of the counter by changing to a ‘white’ voice and saying ‘You order down there, John.’ I looked at him funny and then laughed a little and said ‘Thanks for the heads up, Antwan.’
He laughed back and that was it. People have told me a fight could have come from it, but I don’t see why.
Between basketball and video games with my friends, I’ve been called everything from cracker to white bread. I’ve had a Muslim friend say he’s declaring a jihad on me over a prank. A couple of my black friends do the ‘slave dance’ when they’re winning drinking games.
People can embrace those stereotypes in a way that they acknowledge that they’re out there and it’s kind of a jab at people who honestly believe them. Stereotypes generally have some kind of basis.
The belief that getting to know other groups causes less stereotyping is in no way true. Am I more cultured? Absolutely. I’ve tried foods that I would have never eaten before and I’ve participated in traditions that I didn’t know existed. As far as stereotyping people one way or another, that will never change. So long as people maintain a good outlook and sense of humor about things, it's very obvious that there is a basis for stereotypes.
After spending my freshman year at UNCW in International House, I’ve found that there is a lot of basis for many stereotypes. James the English kid was the biggest drunk in the dorm. He also thought that he knew everything about American politics and once tried to argue the pronunciation of Jalepeno. He believed that it was pronounced ‘Jalapeno’ and not ‘Halapayno.’ His reasoning? His people invented the language, thus, he was correct.James’ favorite pastime was engaging in drinking contests with the Irishman, Columb. It would generally end with unintelligible trash talking and things being broken.
Jake the Australian also had a strong interest in alcohol, nightly meetings with random females and a love for surfing. ‘Footy’ was watched via streaming video online and he didn’t ever let things get to him.
I’ve lived with two Indians for the past two years and they’ve let me in on a lot of their own stereotypes of themselves. Nearly every adult in the family is a doctor or owns a gas station. They’re a big, loud bunch of people who like to have fun. They don’t like spending money, but when they do things, they go all out.
Then of course there were those that disproved the stereotypes. My former roommate was from India and wasn’t pre-med or a math major. His family didn’t own a hotel and he didn’t work at a gas station.
Another former roommate was a black guy who is an environmentalist that doesn’t crave fried chicken or Kool Aid. He listens to underground rock music and plays a lot of basketball.
The first day that I moved into the dorm I got to experience a lot of that same stereotyping. I was asked which frat I was joining because I had my Polo shirts neatly pressed and hung in my closet. A black guy came running into my room because he heard west coast rap blaring from my speakers. My braided hair while wearing a nice, collared shirt drew plenty of funny looks.
My roommate for the past four years didn’t know many white people after growing up in a large Indian population in Canada. He was surprised to find out that my family didn’t sit down for dinner together every night, we didn’t own a dog and didn’t own every Jack Johnson album. He wasn’t surprised to find that my parents were divorced because ‘all white parents are’ and that I liked mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes have been nominated as the whitest food of all time.
One of my favorite experiences was when I was standing in line waiting for food at the mall. A teenage black male informed me that I was ordering from wrong end of the counter by changing to a ‘white’ voice and saying ‘You order down there, John.’ I looked at him funny and then laughed a little and said ‘Thanks for the heads up, Antwan.’
He laughed back and that was it. People have told me a fight could have come from it, but I don’t see why.
Between basketball and video games with my friends, I’ve been called everything from cracker to white bread. I’ve had a Muslim friend say he’s declaring a jihad on me over a prank. A couple of my black friends do the ‘slave dance’ when they’re winning drinking games.
People can embrace those stereotypes in a way that they acknowledge that they’re out there and it’s kind of a jab at people who honestly believe them. Stereotypes generally have some kind of basis.
The belief that getting to know other groups causes less stereotyping is in no way true. Am I more cultured? Absolutely. I’ve tried foods that I would have never eaten before and I’ve participated in traditions that I didn’t know existed. As far as stereotyping people one way or another, that will never change. So long as people maintain a good outlook and sense of humor about things, it's very obvious that there is a basis for stereotypes.
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