So, in all honesty, I was going to wait a few days to write this blog. I noticed at the beginning of class that the due date for it was this Friday so I immediately thought to myself, “Hey, no rush. You can do it on Wednesday or something. No worries.” But that mindset of mine was completely altered after I left class today. I just HAD to write down my thoughts on the discussion we had this afternoon the moment I got home from school. Today, as you all know, we talked about stereotypes and how they impact the society we live in. I always had a common perception of what defines an actual ‘stereotype’ but I learned so much more from our professor and realized just how much stereotypes shape the way we view individuals without even getting to know who they truly are. I have a short story that I would like to share with you that is relevant to our discussion of stereotypes and their influence on our lives. During high school, I joined a few clubs and played sports in order to meet my fellow students and form friendships with them. This one girl and I became good friends and we began hanging out after school since we took the same bus home. I remember this one conversation we had involved our heritage and where our families originated from. I told her that my family came from Germany. She gave me a long stare and then said to me, “You’re not a Nazi, are you?” I was shocked, speechless, and didn’t know how to respond to her. I thought she was kidding or just being facetious but that wasn’t the case. Her statement was serious and she wanted an answer. I gave her an emphatic “no” and we moved on to a different topic. I never told her this but, on the contrary, my family left Germany during the early years of WWII in order to escape Hitler and his Nazi buddies. My family members were the exact opposite of Nazis, and yet, I still got pinned with being a Nazi simply because my ancestors came from the same country that the Nazis called home. I forgot all about that uncomfortable moment until after class today when I was walking to my car. I realized for the first time just how common and prevalent stereotypes can be in our society and how false and ridiculous they can sound. Are all Germans associated with Nazism? No. Are all Americans obese? No. Are all blonde women dumb? No. Are all people who live in the South considered rednecks? No. I’ve come to the conclusion that stereotypes are everywhere. They have become entrenched in our society and continue to influence the way we think and view individuals whom we don’t even know. The Nazis were defeated over 60 years ago in Germany, and yet, stereotypes about individuals of German descent being associated with Nazis are extant in modern society. I understand that we all make stereotypes even when we really don’t intend to do so (even the kindest of people do it). So, I guess the best action we can take is to try to be less judgmental when we carry out our lives. I’m not quite sure if it’ll extirpate stereotypes but it’s certainly worth a try, no?
I definitely agree with you on how prevalent stereotypes are in society. Even with the ads our teacher showed us on Monday, i was shocked at how the media is blatantly willing to flaunt their advertisements in a way to gear towards stereotypes. I guess it is a little bit easier to understand that people will try to figure you out by the way you present yourself, but for someone to believe that because you're from Germany you suddenly have this connection to Nazis seems crazy to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, those ads were incredibly shocking! That's what really got me thinking about stereotypes and how common they can be in our daily lives. Even a tiny magazine can contain numerous ads promoting stereotypes for its readers. It's actually a bit scary the way stereotypes can compel innocent people to make judgments about certain groups. And, that was the only time a person actually brought up the notion that I was associated with Nazis due to my familial origins. But it got me wondering...how many other people have thought that also but never said it to my face? Hmm.
ReplyDeletekevin, that same thing happened to me in sixth grade.... the kid next to me asked me where my family had come from, when i said germany he follweded up by telling me his family is jewish and my family killed his durning wwII, he even reported me to the teacher saying that i was a nazi and wanted to hurt him... he never let me tell him that my great grandfather moved to wisconsin in the 1920's well before the nazis were even around...so i completly understand your situation at the time.
ReplyDeleteWow! The fact that you were both in the 6th grade makes me wonder where he got his ideas from. I don't remember taking an actual history class that covered the Nazis and the Final Solution until about 7th or 8th grade so, perhaps, his parents or grandparents taught him that all Germans and individuals of German descent, like you and myself, are Nazis.That's really ridiculous and ignorant on his family's part if that's the case. And, for him to actually report you to the teacher demonstrates that he possessed some very negative, harsh, and more importantly, UNTRUE perceptions of our ancestors. I hope he has changed since then and realized that not all Germans were Nazi-sympathizers and Hitler-lovers before, during, and after WWII!
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