I'm just curious as to everyone's opinion on stereotypes. Who agrees with me that alot of stereotypes are pretty accurate? I mean, how do they start in the first place? It may seem ok to admit it when it's funny stereotypes like: Mexicans like to work. But when they're not so nice, we don't like to admit it.

Anyhow, this also leads into racism. I'm personally not sure on my stance, but do some of you think that some races are statistically more likely to commit crimes? This also goes into the arguement of race and culture. It's not your actual skin color that determines how you'll act in life, but alot of the times it's your culture. That being said, and the fact that culture is linked to race, some assumptions can be made about specific races in my opinion. Note: Race and Culture are not linked genetically for all who are slow enough to think so. Your skin color says nothing about your character. But at the same time, I don't see how it's wrong 100% of the time for someone to at least question a person's character because of their skin color combined with the way they may dress and act. If I see a guy with a bandana, saggy pants and his underwear hanging out, I may be a bit nervous around the person. But, when a specific type of person (Gang Banger for instance) is based around a specific race, it does tend to lead some to start using stereotypes. Which isn't racism in my opinion, but an educated guess. Most of the time it's not based on skin color at all, but the character of the person. Way of speach, clothes style, etc... and sometimes it just so happens that the majority acting this way belong to the same race.

What I do find to be racism, is when you bring it to the extremes, and start being rude, disrespectful and or violent towards someone before they have even done anything wrong, simply because of their skin color.

One thing that motivated me to post this was the fact that alot of racism goes on in my town. Surprisingly it's more often a black person being racist towards a white person where I live, and hence forth this leaves a bad taste in the white communities mouth about black people. I live in a pretty ghetto-ish town in Southern Louisiana. We can't do anything wrong towards a black person without them pulling the "black card" and trying to claim we're racist. So in other words, we have to treat black people with more respect than other people, even if they treat us with disrespect.

And I've seen a rise in "race card pulling" lately, and it's been getting under my skin.

Your opinions?

Unfortunately, they are.

I'd really like to say that parts of Australia (*cough*Queensland*cough*) aren't infested with Fosters drinking, singlet wearing, 'g'day' slurring, inbred, mulleted, croc wrestling bogans. I'd like to say it wasn't. But it just isn't true.

And that really is the international view of what Australian's are. They think of an Australian and they picture Steve Irwin riding a kangaroo or that American wannabe Paul Hogan in his stupid cork hat.

I went to Europe back in 2003...I got over a dozen spastics come up to me and say "G'day" Irkshky Birschsky! Want some chocolate with your sausage?!

*pants heavily*

Anyway, I agree. Sort of. Stereotyping is generalizing when I've found that only a small majority represent the stereotype. If that makes sense...

Edit: oh, and why do people deny stereotypes? Because the world is full of PC extremists.

Let me also state that alot of what's called racism, is actually just stereotyping someone because of the way they dress and handle themselves. Most people I know won't judge a person because their skin is black or white or whatever, but if they see that they're dressed like your typical gang banger (Baggy pants and all), they have a right to question the person's character in my opinion.

I think where skin color comes into play, is when people start realizing that certain questionable cultures (Like that in what we call the serious ghettos) are predominantly a specific race. For instance: If you live in a town where there is a specific culture that is very violent, and that culture is mostly revolved around the white race, if you see a white person, you may question that person's character, and be more cautious around him/her. This in my opinion, is not racism.


Now... I know it shouldn't be funny, but it makes me laugh just to know that someone can be this ignorantt, lol. THIS is real racism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3UfQUlKmeQ

I'd pretty much have to agree with this whole main topic. In my experiences many stereotypes, both good and bad, actually seem to be pretty accurate. Stereotyping is commonly mislinked to racism, unfortunately. I mean, it's not my fault that I see a lot of people of different races conforming to their stereotypes. If I chose to say something about it, in many eyes, that would automatically make me a racist, because, like Mad Manfred said, there are too many PC extremists in this world. Honestly, those people make me sick.

I like the way you put that. I also find it out not to point out in an arguement that alot of people actually conform to their stereotype. Maybe they do it and don't even realize it, but that doesn't mean I have to shut up about pretend I don't see it.

Pretty much what I'm looking for is, what do most people consider "crossing the line" into racism. It just bothers me that people are called racists for the most little things.

LMAO

Good point Zero of Deism. It's not your fault, they make you hate em; well some do anyway. But yeah some people would prefer it if you just didn't notice.
Or if you did notice.. you suppose to make excuses and then 'not notice' again.

The bloke in the video is a lunatic and so are all those having orgasms just listening to him speak.

Someone should have told the preacher that once someone is dead, they are dead, shooting them again won't kill them again as they are already dead.

What a plonker!

"What a plonker" thats a true English term!! lol

Generally if you do not have any information on for example, different contries, you go by what the media produces. I visit america once a year and people are suprised that i am not a Tweed wearing, pipe smoking snob who speaks ridiculous English! In reality only about 4% of the country speak 'Posh' as we are so often depicted as doing. so you forms opinions on what you know, and that is often not enough

lol regarding English accent(s) - cos there sure are a lot of them in our little island , I agree Jack, either that or they think we talk like "gawd blimey mate"

I don't know how some countries understand some of the accents actually, Geordie can be pretty difficult to Southerners sometimes as can Scottish accents, especially someone from Glasgow talking really fast

Generally Americans (stereotyping) think that we sound like Dick van dyke from Mary poppins, or the professor from Buffy! As you say the geordie accent is near impossible to understand, as are many others in the UK.

Admit it...don't you wish that you spoke like DickVanDyke, or Giles though? I sure would...

Anyway, while I do agree that stereotyping can be bad in some areas, I think that if taken with a grain of salt, it can be valuable. But when people start to accept it as complete and utter gospel truth..thats when the problems can arise.

lol, i must confess on occasion i am known to use somewhat posh dialect...........LMFAO, however one must do what one can!

When I was down in Grand Cayman, I was exposed to racism because I was white. There were a great number of Jamaicans there working. As with all people, you will find good and bad in them. I had one friend Mike who was wonderful, wonderful man. But, another guy wouldn't leave me alone because he wanted a "white" girlfriend. He said why else do the white women go down there? And I can't really blame him for thinking that way. There were a lot of tourists who would go down there to sleep around, usually with the Islanders. So, there was a stereo type that I didn't belong to, but was looked upon because of my race.

That's it in a nutshell.
I'm in Alabama, I wonder how similar it is b/t here and your part of La..-

It's probably pretty similar. You have alot of racist blacks down here. Quite a bit of racist whites. Some of the white people are racist for no obvious reasons, and are just ignorant. Others are racist because of the fact that the majority of the black people where I live, give the rest of the black community a bad name. It's sad that it has to be that way, but sometimes a specific group of people actually MAKE the stereotypes that are brought upon them.