Stereotyping/Generalizing

[Dervish]

Aw c'mon, everyone knows all Swedes are the same.
/thread

[Urge to Bork Bork rising]

 

[Brovo]

Isn't this generalizing?

A generalization would be if I were to say "all people do X." I was listing individual examples of accomplishment trumping whatever labels, stigmas, and stereotypes were associated to said people. All black people steal bikes didn't stop Morgan Freeman from being a world class actor anyway, but it's not like all black people are actors.

"Women are weak" implies all women, then a video of a trained martial artist. Ronda Rousey's strength doesn't speak for all women? Maybe I'm not getting it.

Again, listing that the stereotype does not always apply and that individuals are not beholden to them.

For example: I'm not beholden to the stereotype that I'm a devil fucker because I'm an atheist. I constrain my devil fucking to Tuesdays I simply don't believe in the devil, so I don't generally care about worshiping him or proliferating him or whatever. Some atheists might totally love the character of Satan. I'm not one of those atheists.

Essentially, the message is "you are who you choose to be." If you fall into a stereotype someone else accuses you of, it's only because you accepted it yourself as true. Ronda Rousey decided it wasn't true and went about her life whooping ass. Other women become nurses, or doctors, or stay at home mothers, or numerous other important roles.

On average, women are weaker than men (because biology, put down your pitchforks feminism and pick up a bio textbook) but any individual woman can choose to buck the trend and try her damn best to be whatever she wants. Just like any other individual human.

 

[Carrie]

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining it.