The Problem with Stereotypes

I've been thinking a lot about stereotypes. This is partly due to the various acts of violence that are being perpetrated by and towards different people in the world at large. As I watch atrocities unfold, as I feel into the collective pain of our world, the question of the validity of stereotypes and how they serve us (or don't) is top of mind.

I think it's safe to say (and I might be wrong) that most of us are familiar with the concept of stereotypes. Without going into a dictionary definition, stereotypes are overgeneralized ideas about a particular demographic. The thing about stereotypes is that while they often have a root in truth, they can become so engrained in our psyches that we can mistake them for the whole truth. This is a dangerous practice. 

From where I stand -- which, admittedly, is in a space of comparative safety and security -- stereotypes allow us as humans to be lazy in our interactions with others. Stereotypes allow us to take certain beliefs at face value and not bother to do our own work to get to know others as fellow human beings. We can look at someone and, based on held stereotypes, lump them into a category or two: good, bad, friendly, helpful, kind, worthy, educated, hardworking, athletic, lazy -- you get the idea. And then, based on our assumptions which are based on a stereotype, we behave towards people accordingly.

Sometimes, our assumptions are helpful and allow us to relate positively. Sometimes, our assumptions are not so helpful and get in the way of creating meaningful relationship. This latter outcome is what I take issue with, and what I'm trying to be more mindful of in my day to day living. I can't honestly say that I'm perfect at NOT stereotyping folks. I do believe I'm catching myself in the act more often, and working to change this pattern.

Why do I think this is necessary?

To paraphrase the novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, there's danger in a single story, a singular way of viewing people. Adichie has a fabulous TedTalk, "The Danger of a Single Story". If you haven't watched it, you can check it out here.

The crux of her talk is that we must take the time to see and understand people -- individuals and their corresponding groups -- in terms that go beyond a single story. We must see more than what any one stereotype will allow. Only by looking beyond the stereotype can we actually interact with each other more meaningfully, with more nuance and understanding of how we are simultaneously different, and similar. Being able to see myself and my humanity in you, allows me to treat you with the respect due to all human beings. 

Bottom-line: the way for us all to find a way toward collective peace, is for us to know in our core that our differences need not divide us. The things that have us stand apart are what enrich our human understanding and experience. I don't have to like the things that are different between us; I do have to make an effort to understand those differences and to include them. This may not be easy; and it is worth the effort. Stereotypes are partial truths at best. Only when we have an understanding of the whole truth -- when we move beyond stereotypes -- will we evolve as humans.