The concept I selected is stereotyping. Stereotyping, in my opinion, is assigning a certain belief or idea to someone based solely on their physical appearance before you have met them. .
I think one of the most common types of stereotyping I face everyday deals with the fact that I lived "up north" for two years. However, I personally am never categorized by this, but my friends who currently live up there are. One of these experiences occurred about 7 months ago. At the beginning of the school year, during our first group presentation, in English, we were assigned to rewrite a certain event of history. My group chose the Civil War. We decided to rewrite the war so that the south would win. Since I had recently moved from "up north" I joked that I would play the part of a " northerner". One of my best friends instantly stated to the others, " but it's okay she's really from Louisiana". I was a little taken back and said I wouldn't mind being from the north. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with my statement, one girl stated she was "SO" glad she's from the south, and "everyone up there" must be rude. My only reply was that her statement wasn't true and for that fact people "up north" definitely don't sit around making fun of people down south, but she told me "NO, but they think we are all stupid because we are from the south.".
I realize that stereotyping can in certain conditions be positive. For example, by categorizing someone by his or her ethnicity and culture you able to realize what isn't offensive to you, might be to them. Unfortunately, stereotyping isn't always used in this manner. In fact, I honestly can't believe that people in my generation still have such stereotypical attitudes towards people of their own culture. However, it is our decision how we use stereotyping and hopefully we will each choose to use it in an effective manner that benefits those around us and ourselves.
