Sterotypes and Diversity in American Research Paper

Sterotypes and Diversity in American - Research Paper Example Stories related by friends and families, narratives handed down from generations to generations, information from books and magazines, and depictions in movies and television allow individuals to formulate generalizations. Majority of these stereotypical generalizations are logically correct, however, in almost all cases, humanity is resorting to bigotry by assigning labels and categorizations about a person merely rooted in a stereotype, devoid of real facts. Through stereotyping, suppositions are made on a person or group with some individuality. Stereotypical biases are oftentimes derived from secondhand information (Grobman, 1990). Extensive and continuous circulation of stereotypes causes uncertainty between realism and fallacy for both the subject and doer (Prell, 2009). At the time the United States was experiencing remarkable changes in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries from enormous immigrant arrivals; modernization and industrial ascension; and the inclusion of women, races, and minorities in the labor force, American civilization developed preoccupations with inflexible and often vindictive cultural stereotypes in the fields of literature, arts, and the media (Prell, 2009). As portrayed in the movie industry, African-Americans are negatively stereotyped as intellectually incapable, idle, or violent. Consequently, with this type of pigeonholed films, injustice in opposition to African-Americans is promoted. Another example of media stereotype is how women, the physically perfect in particular, are constantly presented as weak, unintelligent and sexually immoral (Grobman, 1990). Fashion icons, sports figures, television and movie personalities are glamorously represented by the media as models of perfection. However, ethnic, gendered, and culture-rooted stereotypes are oftentimes impossibly achievable resulting in a great divide between genders boasted in the media and the â€Å"ordinary† sexes of society. Moreover, with the current trend o f humanity’s fixation for excellence, society is confronted with socio-cultural threats and loss of identity and ethnicity (McConnell, 2008). The dilemma frequently comes up once the ‘label’ twists from being a classifier into an insulting position for the subject, especially if the individual formulating the stereotype is a person of authority. At that juncture, it is not simply the human perception of stereotypes but the person who commands power, creates labels and holds egotistic interests that is at fault. When a stereotype is used for maneuvering an individual’s manner of judgment, it has to be classified if it is an instrument or an obstruction in the user’s opinion (Stewart, n.d.). This paper will provide an explanation as to why stereotypes are made. Advantages and disadvantages of negative stereotyping will be laid out to raise awareness on how it affects the social wellbeing of a stigmatized individual. A treatment plan in combating negat ive stereotypes through active participation of individuals, the media and the educational system, will likewise be presented. The Reasons behind Stereotypes Nowadays, the term 'stereotype' is perceived as a form of maltreatment and exploitation. Diverse groups, predominantly the black outcasts, inferior-to-men women and discriminated gays, are stereotyped in the mass media and in the