What are you thinking about stereotypes?

Что вы думаете о стереотипах. Расскажите о стереотипах разных национальностей

A stereotype is a belief about an individual or a group based on the idea that everyone in a particular group will act the same way. For example, if someone says all Americans are rich, all mothers bake cookies that person is using a stereotype.  

Very often people make their first opinion about a person according to a certain stereotype. A person is usually judged by his appearance, outlook, way of life. A badly dressed dirty man is usually associated with someone who has no job and house to live in. It is supposed that a very beautiful girl has no depth and intelligence and is quite silly. On the other hand, a person who wears glasses and a hat, is clean and tidy, might be looked upon as very clever and intelligent.

The stereotype, that has appeared due to "the battle of sexes", is based on an idea that women are more silly then men and less intelligent, that they are not as good in science, sport, etc. as men are. What's more it's thought that women can't be good politicians. But all this is under a big question. The statement has been repeated many times and so the stereotype has been formed. Although girls may be as good as boys in science, they are not encouraged in studies, they get less attention than boys.

One more stereotype concerns national particular features of people. Persons belonging to a certain nation are supposed to be greedy (Bulgarians, for example), very attractive (French women), punctual (Germans), vodka loving (Russians). Such stereotypes interfere with real understanding of people belonging to different nations because one may have a completely wrong opinion of a nation thanks to stereotypes.

A nation is a group of people who share common history and a language, not always live at the same area. Culture can be described as our everyday life: how we communicate, what makes us happy and sad. It also includes our language, religion, traditions, behavior, way o life - in other words, what we do each day. People that belong to various nations may differ and they always differ from one another. For example, the Germans are regarded as scientifically-minded and industrious, they're always considered solid, intelligent, mathematical, extremely nationalistic, arrogant, aggressive and they don’t have sense of humour.

And, for instance, Jews are believed to be mercenary, industrious, shrewd, loyal to family, religious.

According to stereotypes, the french nation is the nation of drinkers, Americans are all overweight, eat fast-food always, they are stupid, loud, arrogant, and completely ignorant of the cultures of other countries.

Spaniards are either matadors or flamenco dancers, they eat lots of tortilla and love to sleep the siesta.

Russians are aggressive, rude, heavy vodka drinkers, either spies or communists. They are all from Siberia. Further universally stereotyped opinions state that Russians are threatening nuclear war being at the same time ultra-orthodox Christians. They are very poor and still live in the Soviet times, having a car is unbelievable luxury for most of them. According to all these stereotypes Russia is considered to be a deserted snowed-up island, a native land of bears and KGBists.

Spaghetti, mafia, musical accent, gestures, romantic, Gigolos, loud, fashion, chaos – these are associations the world uses when describes Italians.

Finns are internationally considered modest, polite, quiet, trustworthy, serious, diligent and humble, consistent and stable in their views. Finns are all blondes and have blue eyes.

In conclusion I should say that stereotypes are not based on objective truth they are harmful, because they judge an individual based solely on his or her being part of a particular group, regardless of his or her unique identity. It’s important to understand stereotypes and not to attach importance to them.