Can positive stereotypes be a problem?

[Ma Cherie]

Hi everyone

We all know that stereotyping is arbitrary, offensive, and just plain wrong. But this seems to apply when the stereotype is negative. However, has anyone ever took the time to think that positive stereotyping is just as offensive? One example is saying that African Americans are good at sports( basketball in particular). Another example is that African Americans can dance.

But another good example is saying that Asians and care more about their school work than having fun. You may know that in the US (I don't know about other countries) Asians are labelled as being "model minorities". This means that a minority, religious, enthic, and racial groups have achieved a higher degree of sucess than the population average. The sucess is usually in education, income, and other factors such as low crime rate.

What are your thoughts on "positive" stereotypes, do you think they can be just as offensive or you think otherwise?

To me, a stereotype is a stereotype weather it's positive or negative.

Happy to hear your thoughts.

[Lady Blue]

I think there are no such thing as possitive stereotypes. This, for me, is just another way to point at the negative ones.

But, I do think there are things that certain people can do better depending on their... original race. This don't necessarily makes them a stereotype for me, but it could be for somebody else.

Stereotypes were made to make you feel bad about yourself. Is comparission with another name.

[Tsuyoiko]

I think stereotypes are pointless, whether they are positive or negative. There is always someone who doesn't fit the stereotype, and they are almost always founded on the most tenuous of evidence.

[Void]

In most cases stereotypes are considered as some from of classification or
judgement. And most of the times when talking about stereotypes people
allude to the negative side of them...

i`d say that to certain point stereotypes are not pointless and not designed
to make us feel bad about ourselves.
These can be cultural and behaviorial stereotypes.
First of all we need stereotypes to establish „ƒonnection/ conversation/ cooperation between members of a given society.
Second, we need to save time on routine work and mental operations
Third, we need some "library", a source to find the way out from unknown or
unfamiliar situation ( like acting/ inferring by analogy)
Fourth,... too lazy to formulate more

Stereotypes have their good and bad side, as any blade it has two edges
There exist a rule of Golden Mean. And every tool is handy at proper place and situation, so do stereotypes. It`s up to us to decide - to live in a
frameset of rigid cliches or in chaotic thoughts and actions

[afailedaffair]

The "Model Asian Citizen" stereotype is horrible:

"He only aced the class because he's asian!"

"he's so polite...*psst*thats because he's asian!"

[No-name]

I love rice. I eat sushi at least twice a week. I wear glasses. I'm good at math. I did well in school. I am a bad driver. I practice Karate and I am Asian.

I'm also 6'2" and 240 pounds. I dwarf my asian cousins. In Japan I would be considered a gaijin. I play electric guitar and paintball. I love Mexican food.

Stereotypes are good for people who don't want to take the trouble to learn all the details. No one fits every stereotype and if they did, it would be meaningless anyway.

[afailedaffair]

6'2?

You're a lucky man.

I'm about a foot smaller than you ^______________^

[No-name]

Old, big, fuzzy half japanese guy... I don't feel too bad about it. A lot of people seem to think I am Mexican. So not only do I get the old stereotypes, half the time they are the wrong stereotypes... :/

[afailedaffair]

Ooo~
A halvsie!

Yeah, some people can be ignorant it's pretty silly.

On that topic, they say that some Native Americans, and Hispanics are descendant of Asians that crossed over the bering straight and migrated south. What do you think of that? It's certainly a feasible idea.

[No-name]

Eventually, if you trace back far enough- we are all related.

[afailedaffair]

I was thinking that as well!

Heck, don't even trace back!

If you divide us into individual atoms, we are one with everything XD

[Lady Blue]

Everytime somebody tells me "asian look all the same!" i can help think: So does mexican... i have always thought that if you look the people of the world turning it to the right side, you'll see we all look alike. Not "the same", just alike. And that America (the continent) has starting to be the pan where we're mixing up even more with every year. In the end, wouldn't be all looking the same?

[No-name]

If you strip away our skins, we all look like bloody skinless blobs.

[PRIZMATIC]

What "stereotypes" are born at you when you see, what I from Russia?...
.................................................. ..............................................
Nevertheless I eat basically the Japanese kitchen, adding to it Korean and a little Italian. Having a huge practice of work with photomodels I prefer and to work and live only with the Asian women... I at all do not understand the country in which I live...

[petercheck1]

But another good example is saying that Asians and care more about their school work than having fun. You may know that in the US (I don't know about other countries) Asians are labelled as being "model minorities". This means that a minority, religious, enthic, and racial groups have achieved a higher degree of sucess than the population average. The sucess is usually in education, income, and other factors such as low crime rate.

[Mzungu mchagga]

There is no positive stereotype without a negative counterpart. Otherwise the stereotype wouldn't be called 'positive'. I've experienced it often enough as a white guy in Africa among Africans, Indians, Arabs, Latin Americans or whatever. Funnily, what non-Europeans often thought about Europeans was often the same South Europeans thought about North Europeans.

If I wasn't so rich, then you wouldn't be so poor!
If I wasn't so obedient, then you wouldn't be so rebellious!
If I wasn't so diligent, then you wouldn't be so lazy!
If I wasn't so cold, then you wouldn't be so warm-hearted!
If I wasn't so nerdy, then you wouldn't be so sexy!