Stereotypes

AnIntroductiontotheUKandUSAtodayKeepingopenmindsandavoidingstereotypesWhatideasdoyouhaveaboutBritishpeople?WhatideasdoyouhaveaboutAmericanpeople?Whatisastereotype?DictionaryDefinitionDefinition:Stereotypesarecharacteristicsascribedtogroupsofpeopleinvolvinggender,race,nationaloriginandotherfactors.Thesecharacteristicstendtobeoversimplificationsofthegroupsinvolved,however.Forexample,someonewhomeetsafewindividualsfromaparticularcountryandfindsthemtobequietandreservedmayspreadthewordthatallcitizensfromthecountryinquestionarequietandreserved.Ageneralizationsuchasthisdoesn’tallowfordiversitywithingroupsandmayresultinstigmatizationanddiscriminationofgroupsifthestereotypeslinkedtothemarelargelynegative.Thatsaid,evenso-calledpositivestereotypescanbeharmfulduetotheirlimitingnature.Insimplerterms:Stereotypesareverygeneralideasaboutgroupsofpeople.Forexample,tosay“AllChinesepeopleliketopracticeKungFu”isastereotypeTheycanbepositive,negativeandneutral.(Positiveexample:“AllEnglishmenaregentlemen”.Neutralexample:“AllEnglishmencarryumbrellas”.Negativeexample:“AllEnglishmenbelievetheyaresuperiortonon-Englishmen”)TheyareoftenmisleadingandbestavoidedWhyavoidstereotyping?TheycancauseoffenceTheyareunscientific;peopleareneverthatsimple,nomatterwheretheycomefrom!Theycanleadtoserioussocialdiscrimination;peoplebeingpunishedsimplyforbeingofacertainnationalityorethnicgroup.Ifyoustereotypepeople,youarelikelytolookveryfoolish!But...StereotypesdonotcomefromnowhereItissometimesnecessarytomakesomegeneralstatementsaboutacultureinordertounderstanditJustBECAREFULwhenyoudothisHowtoconsiderculturewithoutstereotyping:Insteadofsaying“AllGermansareefficient”,wecansay“Germanshaveareputationforefficiency”-Weacknowledgethatthisisaquestionofreputation;wearenotsuggestingitissomethingtrueofeverypersonofthatnationalityWecansay“ThereisastereotypethatallEnglishpeoplecarryumbrellas,butthisisnotalwaysthecase”-weacknowledgethestereotype,butdon’tacceptitwithoutquestionSomecommonstereotypesofBritishandAmericanpeople.......andsomeantidotestothem...PositiveBritishStereotypes:•Gentlemen•Polite/well-mannered•Well-educated•Hard-working•Sportsmen-like:Senseof“fair-play”•Humorous•InventiveandcreativeNeutralBritishStereotypes:•Sociallyconservative(positiveornegative,dependingonyouropinion)•Reservedwhenexpressingemotions•Carryumbrellas•Wearbowler-hats(men)•Rich•Eatroastbeefanddrinkwarmbeer•Likecricket,football(“soccer”)andtennisNegativeBritishStereotypes:BelievethemselvessuperiorDrunken(sometimesviolent)behaviourCrudehumour(relatingtothebody)ArrogantandpompousEatboringfoodAmorebalancedview:TheBritishhaveareputationforgoodmanners,butsadly,notallBritishpeopleliveuptoit.Britaintodayisanextremelydiversenation;therearemanydifferentpeoplewithdifferentbeliefs.WhilemanyBritsareconsciousofhistoryandproudofcertainthings(suchastheIndustrialRevolutionandvictoryinWorldWarII),fewBritswouldclaimtobeproudoftheBritishEmpireandourcolonialhistory.InEVERYNATION,therearesomepeoplewhowouldconsidertheirnationsuperiortoothernations,butthisisNOTacommonbeliefintheUKtoday;itisoftenconsideredsomewhatfoolish.PositiveAmericanstereotypes:Meritocratic:“TheAmericanDream”EnthusiasticPracticalOpen-mindedCreativeGoodatsportsNeutralAmericanStereotypes:EatHamburgersandsteaksRichWearcowboy-hatsandjeansOpenabouttheirfeelings/emotionsLikeguns(positiveornegative,dependingonyouropinion)NegativeAmericanStereotypes:RudeandarrogantFatandgreedyBelievethemselvessuperiorWanttotakeover/ruletheworldAmorebalancedview:TheactionsoftheUSgovernmentdoNOTreflectthewishesofALLtheAmericanpeople(thesameisthecaseintheUK).TheUSAisalsoaVERYdiversenation,evenmoresothantheUK.ManyAmericansareproudoftheirhistory,havingovercomedifficultcircumstancesandbecomesuccessful,butveryfewwouldclaimtobeproudofaspectssuchasslavery,theoppressionofthenativepeoplesandracialsegregationTheheartofthematteris….….wearenotallthesame,whereverwecomefrom!Thinkaboutthis:Whatstereotypes(positive,neutralandnegative)doyouthinksomepeoplemayholdaboutChinesepeople?Howdothesemakeyoufeel?UKCultureSomewell-knownideasNationalconsciousnessandpatriotismConservatismandreservation-traditionsDistinguishedgentlemengivennobletitlesbytheQueenBuildingsvaluedforhistoricalsignificanceCountrylandscapewellpreserved-tripstothecountryforweekends-escapecitylifeSmalltalkisnotcommoninEngland-trains,buses,etc.Insomeareasofsociety(highersocialclass):Privatelifeisoftenconsideredaprivate-tabootopicObedient,withgoodmanners-“properbehaviour”QueensEnglishisconsideredproperThosewhospeak“lesser”EnglishmaybelookeddownuponordiscriminatedagainstSocialClassintheUKUpperclass:Royalfamily,aristocracyUppermiddleclass:Successfulbusinesspeople,seniorcivilservants,doctors“Thinkingmiddle”class:Teachers,academics,socialworkersLowermiddleclass:Smallbusinessowners,middle-managers,white-collarworkers,nursesUpperworkingclass:Skilledmanuallabourers(plumbers,buildersetc)Traditionalworkingclass:Factoryworkers,minersLowerworkingclass(sometimescalledunderclass)