Why Do Some People Keep Stereotype Behavior Alive?
There is often a kernel of truth, be it a small one or a large one, in stereotypes. Of course, that kernel is taken, warped, twisted, and added upon until it is almost lost and has lost its original meaning completely. Ok, I shall take a few of my ethnicities’ stereotypes (I am Rromani, otherwise known as “Gypsy”): 1) We are all good dancers and musicians. Yes, some of us are. However, so are other people who are not of my ethnicity. 2) We are all thieves. Yes, unfortunately some of us are, however, so are some in every other ethnicity. 3) We all read the tarot, read palms, tell fortunes, and other such things. Yes, some of us do and that was a highly traditional way we made our living, along with many other things. However, many people from other ethnicities do the same. If one of us does these things, any of them, it is stereotypical behaviour for us. I am a good dancer, decent singer, and, when I was younger, I was not bad with the violin and piano. In that way I was acting (and am
