Comments for Big Little Wolf's Daily Plate of Crazy http://dailyplateofcrazy.com Whatever life dishes out, and whatever we can make of it. . . Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:43:26 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by Eva http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5692 Eva Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:43:26 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5692 Let's take a step back and look at what stereotypes are. They are mental shortcuts, socially constructed personas and archetypes that help us quickly produce a mental picture of someone or something. So there is a purpose in some way, in creating a starting point for your thought process. Stereotypes wouldn't exist if there wasn't some kernel of truth in there. But I wholeheartedly agree, stereotypes can go too far and be negative, critical, judgmental. They should be just a starting point that, through personal experience and education, you revise and edit to create a more accurate, complete picture. Let’s take a step back and look at what stereotypes are. They are mental shortcuts, socially constructed personas and archetypes that help us quickly produce a mental picture of someone or something. So there is a purpose in some way, in creating a starting point for your thought process. Stereotypes wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t some kernel of truth in there.
But I wholeheartedly agree, stereotypes can go too far and be negative, critical, judgmental. They should be just a starting point that, through personal experience and education, you revise and edit to create a more accurate, complete picture.

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by BigLittleWolf http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5691 BigLittleWolf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:08:18 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5691 <i>Et toi aussi, Tish !</i> Et toi aussi, Tish !

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by BigLittleWolf http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5690 BigLittleWolf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:07:07 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5690 Ah Steve, <i>hélas</i>, I am not in love with the stereotype. I am simply more comfortable in that culture I think, and probably much more flirtatious in French than in English. The combination makes for great sparks when I am in France. The men I've cared for (and who remain friends), in France, are all quite different from each other. But they are grounded in cultural values that are hugely important to me. It's my reality. Ah Steve, hélas, I am not in love with the stereotype. I am simply more comfortable in that culture I think, and probably much more flirtatious in French than in English. The combination makes for great sparks when I am in France. The men I’ve cared for (and who remain friends), in France, are all quite different from each other. But they are grounded in cultural values that are hugely important to me. It’s my reality.

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by tish jett http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5689 tish jett Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:58:52 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5689 You are on a roll, chère Wolfe. And thank you for that lovely introduction yesterday. Have a lovely, peaceful weekend. You are on a roll, chère Wolfe.

And thank you for that lovely introduction yesterday.

Have a lovely, peaceful weekend.

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by Stacia http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5688 Stacia Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:54:02 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5688 It's human nature to stereotype, I think. It's how we operate: we collect data, we make assumptions, we come up with a theory, we put that theory to work. The danger occurs when we aren't willing to revise our theory when it falls a little (or a lot) flat. So we never date a short guy again, or we don't go back to France because we didn't like Provence. And that's the real shame. (I mean, who wouldn't like Provence??) It’s human nature to stereotype, I think. It’s how we operate: we collect data, we make assumptions, we come up with a theory, we put that theory to work. The danger occurs when we aren’t willing to revise our theory when it falls a little (or a lot) flat. So we never date a short guy again, or we don’t go back to France because we didn’t like Provence. And that’s the real shame. (I mean, who wouldn’t like Provence??)

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by BigLittleWolf http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5687 BigLittleWolf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:41:19 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5687 15 days/nights of feeding a 6'1 200-pound and growing teen - breakfast, bag lunch, and dinner (and into the night) - uh - along with my own kid(s)... from this end... fast? Not so much. :) But it was a terrific experience. We loved having him. And I hope he went home with a lot of impressions changed. My own experiences living with French families at age 15 changed my life. Part of why I agreed to do this, and I'm glad we did. 15 days/nights of feeding a 6′1 200-pound and growing teen – breakfast, bag lunch, and dinner (and into the night) – uh – along with my own kid(s)… from this end… fast? Not so much. :) But it was a terrific experience. We loved having him. And I hope he went home with a lot of impressions changed. My own experiences living with French families at age 15 changed my life. Part of why I agreed to do this, and I’m glad we did.

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by Maureen@IslandRoar http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5685 Maureen@IslandRoar Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:06:05 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5685 It's really next to impossible not to stereotype, or at least generalize, no? We just have to remember to look for the exceptions. Every time. Wow, that visit sure went fast, from this end. If he's formed any American stereotypes based on your homelife I'm sure America's rep will be all the better for it! It’s really next to impossible not to stereotype, or at least generalize, no? We just have to remember to look for the exceptions. Every time.
Wow, that visit sure went fast, from this end. If he’s formed any American stereotypes based on your homelife I’m sure America’s rep will be all the better for it!

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by BigLittleWolf http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5684 BigLittleWolf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:33:04 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5684 We <i>all</i> stereotype. We can't help but do that from the time we're little. You could almost say that it's a way to organize our impressions as we're learning. So Kristen - yes - there are harmless stereotypes, and useful stereotypes, and dangerous stereotypes. And by dangerous, I'd say it's those that prevent us from seeing the full picture, the individual circumstances, and the <i>reality</i> rather than a limited set of attributes used to categorize. Especially when we do so to dismiss or denigrate an individual or group, or to make ourselves feel superior. We all stereotype. We can’t help but do that from the time we’re little. You could almost say that it’s a way to organize our impressions as we’re learning. So Kristen – yes – there are harmless stereotypes, and useful stereotypes, and dangerous stereotypes. And by dangerous, I’d say it’s those that prevent us from seeing the full picture, the individual circumstances, and the reality rather than a limited set of attributes used to categorize. Especially when we do so to dismiss or denigrate an individual or group, or to make ourselves feel superior.

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by BigLittleWolf http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5683 BigLittleWolf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:28:58 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5683 DM and Linda and Amber - it <i>does</i> suck to be on the receiving end of the stereotype! No one wins when that happens. You miss out on getting to know interesting individuals. As for our Latvian guest, I imagine he's home sleeping off his jet lag, with a broadened perspective on many fronts. DM and Linda and Amber – it does suck to be on the receiving end of the stereotype! No one wins when that happens. You miss out on getting to know interesting individuals. As for our Latvian guest, I imagine he’s home sleeping off his jet lag, with a broadened perspective on many fronts.

]]> Comment on Stereotypes, generalizations, and judgments are BAD. Or am I being too judgmental? by BigLittleWolf http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2010/03/12/stereotypes-generalizations-and-judgments-international-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5681 BigLittleWolf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:25:40 +0000 http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/?p=13489#comment-5681 Suzicate - you got it! My "judgments" are my opinions, and preferably with time and thought and experience. And yes, my "French men" commentary is exactly that, and note - one experience with one semi-rotten apple, Mr. American-Based-French-Napoleon, didn't spoil my barrel. Suzicate – you got it! My “judgments” are my opinions, and preferably with time and thought and experience. And yes, my “French men” commentary is exactly that, and note – one experience with one semi-rotten apple, Mr. American-Based-French-Napoleon, didn’t spoil my barrel.

]]>