The Negative Fallacy of Stereotypes

    A stereotype is an unfairly made generalization.  They are bigoted assumptions.  Stereotypes about women, religious groups, minorities, ethnic groups, and so forth are often based on insufficient evidence can therefore lead to harmful results, not only for the victim of the stereotype but also for the person doing the stereotyping.  (Mosser, 2011) 

    Stereotypes can be based on good or bad repute.  Either way, the effects are usually negative.  A stereotype about positive qualities can still have negative effects.  One example of this is an Asian teen who struggles with algebra.  But, since the stereotype says that all Asians excel at math, he or she neglects to seek tutoring. “Past studies have shown that people perform poorly in situations where they feel they are being stereotyped,” said Professor Michael Inzlicht of psychology, who led the study, published in this month’s edition of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.   (Kemick, 2010)

    One negative stereotype thrown my way was actually directed at my fiancee’, her name is Lady, which is ironic when you hear the slander.  We met on the world wide web, and soon after we started talking, an old American female friend texts me, and I tell her the news.  She warned of a scam ongoing with Filipina women (Lady is from the Philippines) posing as super spiritual, perfect wives, when in actuality, they are promiscuous succubi.  I looked up the stereotype online, and it does happen.  But as I have known Lady, I am not the least bit suspicious of her goings-on.  I find average, American women dirtier than this woman and the life she leads.  The negating of the initial upset it caused is good, because I really love this girl, and we have many plans for the future.  To have bought into the stereotype would have altered my entire future.  I probably would not be back in school, because Lady was a huge motivation as well as support system.

    Another stereotype to mention is of a religious group, Christians, it’s also a thing that has effected me.  Supposedly, Christians are hypocrites, because they preach a sinless life, all the while having secret sins and a still, divine esteem.  This is complicated, because it is partially true.  However using logic, we can by-pass the slippery slope judgment fallacy.  Jesus, the God of Christians, is said to have fulfilled the law of Moses as ‘Esu Immanuel Yeshuah ben Yosef, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  This subject is deep, as are all Biblical matters, but the origin of all metaphysical knowledge, Chochmah ha Emet (the entire wisdom of truth--the Kabbalah) can resolve the apparent discord.  Kabbalah teaches that in each generation, there are two potential Messiah’s:  1.  Messiah ben Joseph--who, will die and ascend to atone for the generation, if the generation is wicked, like were the brothers of Joseph in Genesis, and 2. Messiah ben David--who will usher in the tangible connection of heaven and earth in complete unity, ending war, lack, death, and uniting the masses towards that mutual guarantee which is taught by both potential Messiahs.  (Yochai, n.d.)  In actuality, both are happening constantly, because prophecy and parallel universes are inseparable.  So, as for Christians, in the Holy Bible, Psalm 31 verse 5 states, “Into Thy hand, I commit my spirit.  Thou has made ransom for me, O Lord, God of Truth.”  And, as for those who will say nay, Jesus said, “Let one without sin cast the first stone,” --John 8:7--and then He drew a line in the gravel.

    A third stereotype that relates to me, personally is a hasty generalization of the brain damaged not being able to learn as well as others.  I incurred a traumatic brain injury on September 27, 1997.  It’s true that it impaired me for a while, however, here I am in my second year of college at an accredited University, passing all of my classes.  Often the fallacy of hasty generalization can lead to damaging stereotypes made on the basis of just a few examples.  (Mosser, 2011)  There were a few light distortions of reality that I had to work through, but this particular stereotype begs the question of how much to invest into a charity and which best equip the population for taking life to the next level.

    In conclusion, stereotypes are fallacies in logic which limit the understandings of conditions, creeds, cultures, or the people who adhere to them and they are anything but productive.  I suggest that all stereotypes relate to assumed quality, and they can be transformed from sorts of perceived problems into opportunities for diversity.  The variable that fits this equation is the attitude of those who accept or reject the beliefs.   Don’t judge a book by its cover.






REFERENCES:

Kemick, April (August 12, 2010).  Stereotyping Has Lasting Negative Impact: Prejudice has lingering effects, study shows.  University of Toronto

Mosser, Kurt (2011).  Logic:  An Introduction.  Ashford University--Discovery Series.  Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Yochai, Rabbi Shimon bar,  (n.d.). The Zohar:  Beresheet B, article 21, “Moshe and the two Messiahs”