Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote:
Well, now we're into the realm of who gets to decide what a "serious student" is. Maybe we don't want to go there.
What does it mean to "erase" a generalization, anyway? Do you wish to stop people from making an observation? What if there's truth in what they observe? If I make the generalization that sexism exists and that it has an effect on women's attitudes, why do you want to "erase" this generalization, and how do you propose to do it? Pointing out that there are exceptions to generalizations would seem a waste of time -- that is inherent in the definition of what a generalization is -- and stifling the expression of a generalization because the underlying reality is distasteful seems a case of shooting the messenger.
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I'm going to play the hippy's advocate for a second here:
I think that exceptions to generalizations are of a grave importance, and they should be empowered.
The fact that not every black guy is in jail despite the fact that USA prisons are made up of mostly black males, not every Arab is a terrorist even though the most notorious terrorist attack on US soil was by middle eastern men, not every woman is a flake even though we all have known a few princesses, not all rich people are greedy despite the fact we have all read the Christmas carol.
Generalizations are damaging..they are stereotypes frankly, and the exceptions are more worthy of pointing out then the stereotype frankly.