14 replies to this topic

[VaultBoy]

Post your thoughts/opinion about the differences between racism and stereotyping. GO!

[Adam]

Imo racism is attacking someone of X race verbally or referring to the person or a group of people in a derogatory way based on their ethnicity. 

 

Stereotyping is generalizing or coming to a conclusion without any facts, for example:

A TV is stolen from someones house, and the homeowner instantly thinks it's the black kid down the road.

[VaultBoy]

Would you think that society has EVOLVED from being blatantly racist to being stereotypical? Are they stepping stones (e.g. a gradual change) towards full non-discrimination?

[Keil]

Racism has a direct negative impact (excluding hurt boo boo feelings) on society.

 

Ex. What you're thinking right now

 

Stereotyping is thinking a certain group not limited to race, creed, gender, sex, etc. will act or be a certain way according to past observations 

 

Ex. What you're thinking right now

 

Asswholery is applying negative stereotypes and racism in a joking manner with intentions to hurt people (hurt boo boo feelings included).

 

Ex. What you're probably smirking about right now

[NapisaurusRex]

Racism is based on race and stereotypes are based on anything at all.
 

Would you think that society has EVOLVED from being blatantly racist to being stereotypical? Are they stepping stones (e.g. a gradual change) towards full non-discrimination?

No, because they're two different things.
Also, that's dependent on whose society you're referring to.

Edited by Napiform, 25 July 2013 - 04:55 PM.

[Trey]

Racism is stereotyping based on race.

Edited by Trey, 25 July 2013 - 04:52 PM.

[Mex]

Racism is stereotyping based on race.

Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? "So... all thumbs are fingers, but not all fingers are thumbs". Being racist is to have negative stereotypes, but having stereotypes is not always racist. Asians are a very good example of that. If I say Asians are intelligent, it is a stereotype, but not racism. 

 

I think that countries that are by law against gender and race discrimination have gone too far. Sometimes it is like: "You called me fat? I'm black, you racist!". And that is no longer equality. The same when a woman attacks a man.

 

I personally think stereotypes are completely acceptable as long as you take them as a joke. My cousins go to school at the United States (we are Mexican) and I often see comments of their friends on Facebook that say something like: "I ate pancakes today, what did you have for breakfast? Oh, yeah, probably tacos, beans, guacamole, and quesadillas". Also, I like a lot of Facebook pages that have a dark humor, and I love jokes about Mexicans. Real comedy does not have barriers.

[VaultBoy]

I agree with you Mex. Sadly there are many people who take it one step too far. I grew up in a pretty racist place and I can tell you, it is no fun being a minority there

[Trey]

Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? "So... all thumbs are fingers, but not all fingers are thumbs". Being racist is to have negative stereotypes, but having stereotypes is not always racist. Asians are a very good example of that. If I say Asians are intelligent, it is a stereotype, but not racism.

 

I agree, I should have said negative stereotyping based on race. Though positive stereotypes about one race can also sometimes be a form of racism because it often implies negative stereotypes about other races, e.g. believing that Asians are more intelligent than other races is to believe that other races are less intelligent than Asians.

Edited by Trey, 25 July 2013 - 11:48 PM.

[DonValentino]

Stereotypes are usually based on some sort of fact, or statistic, whereas racism is just blatant ignorance and disrespect towards another race.

[Eefi]

Racism is born from stereotyping. We all make assumptions about people we don't know and since you don't know a person your assumptions are based on stereotypes. If you're not careful that can turn into racism when you hold onto your stereotypes too much.

[MikeyMann]

both are racist just one is the word itself.

[Mex]

both are racist just one is the word itself.

No. As I said, racism is always a stereotype, but a stereotype is not always racism. If you think I love tacos (which I do) just because I'm Mexican, you are not being racist, you are not saying anything harmful.

[willy101]

it's funny how one of the most hotly debated topics have no formal definition. the UN doesn't define racism BUT it does define racial discrimination. I think that's the key here: using race to justify unequal treatment. 

 

Some might define racism even as a binary. for example it could be Caucasians and minorities. Sociologists define it as a system of beliefs design to empower the dominant group while putting down others. So there's definitely that.

[Amie]

 

Asians are a very good example of that. If I say Asians are intelligent, it is a stereotype, but not racism.

^This.

 

I used to live in South Africa. There, racism is really common. I had white friends who didn't invite me to their parties (because I was a person of color), and then happily chatted with me about the parties afterwards. They didn't feel like they had done anything wrong, you see. Racism is feudal in nature ; those people didn't see me as an equal. They wouldn't even consider the idea of letting me into their homes, BUT they didn't feel like they were doing anything wrong. It was like I was supposed to "know my place".

Stereotypes, on the other hand, are comparitively conscious assumptions. If I wanted to clean my mind of stereotypes, it would probably be possible, unlike racism, which is almost unconcious (conscious racism is a completely different argument here).