Why Stereotypes Exist

Stereotypes. Say it slowly, s-t-e-r-e-o-t-y-p-e-s. To the uneducated it sounds like a trip to the local Circuit City. To the over-educated it's a sign of ignorance. To me it's a useful tool. Let me explain.

Stereotypes are frowned upon by our society. Whether it is based on skin color, religion, or some sort of physical appearance, everyone in our politically correct world thinks that it is wrong. Unfortunately it is something we cannot control. The human brain and psyche is based upon repetition. The more we do something, the better we get at it. The better we get, the more efficient we become and free up our brains for other things. So if the first 5 times we ever meet a fast food employee and they are slow and gruff, we assume the next time that we see one, they will be the same. It keeps us from having to go through the process of forming an opinion about them, which takes time and brain power. Thus freeing up our thoughts to think about the upcoming weekend or the inner workings of quantum physics.

So you can see that stereotypes are innate in the human psyche. However, are stereotypes true? Well to some degree they are. There is a statistical theory that involves a minimum number of participants in order to obtain accurate results. This theory goes hand in hand with stereotypes. If enough people of a certain group do a certain thing, it is statistically accurate to assume that they will possess these characteristics. Maybe we are looking at things wrong. Maybe the stereotype of white trash men beating their wives is true. But instead of one white trash guy not beating his wife, and thusly breaking the stereotype, maybe he simply isn't white trash. Maybe, just maybe the stereotypes are true but we incorrectly pigeon hole people into a cultural group that they don't belong in.

After all, stereotypes exist for a reason.