英语论文网

But most stereotypes tend to make us feel superior in some way to the person or group being stereotyped. Stereotypes ignore the uniqueness of individuals by painting all members of a group with the same brush. When the characteristic of that particular group or culture is being respected by the observer, then it is called positive stereotyping and when it is disrespected, it is called negative stereotyping. It is easier to create stereotypes when there is a clearly visible and consistent attribute that can easily be recognized. This is why people of color, police and women are so easily stereotyped. Stereotyping can go around in circles. Men stereotype women and women stereotype men.

In certain societies this is intensified as the stereotyping of women pushes them together more and they create men as more of an out-group. The same thing happens with different racial groups, such as 'white/black' (an artificial system of opposites, which in origin seems to be more like 'European/non-European'). Stereotyping can be subconscious, where it subtly biases our decisions and actions, even in people who consciously do not want to be biased. Stereotyping often happens not so much because of aggressive or unkind thoughts. It is more often a simplification to speed conversation on what is not considered to be an important topic. We, as Malaysians, still guilty of stereotyping fellow Malaysians today after enjoying many years of physical and economic development that have made us a prosperous nation. In fact, I believe that our culture has been one of classifying people, one of the major classifiers being race. Ever since different ethnic groups existed here, people have been stereotyped according to race – in relation to where they lived, the language they spoke and the types of jobs they did, largely carried out by the colonial masters of old that, according to historians, sought to divide and rule the country because unity amongst these groups may induce resistance to the colonial government.

For example, Malays are always regarded as lazy and slow and Chinese are regarded as greedy and like to gamble and Indians are known as someone who always drunk and beat their wives. To the Malays, the Chinese are unscrupulously business-minded and basically sacrilegious, dress simply and spare no expense in eating (Lewis 2007). Their exclusive preoccupation in making money precludes a holy way of life. The Chinese are smart and crafty and will do almost anything in order to make money (Ling 1995). To the Chinese, the Malays are devoted to Islam to the point that religion comes to preclude successful interest in business. The Malays lead simple lives, eating simple food and dressing in nice clothes. The Chinese observed the Malays as essentially easy-going and sluggish people, who can easily be induced by immediate gratification and short-term gains (Mahathir 1970). The Malays who are not as stingy as the Chinese are frequently seen giving alms to beggars and charity to other poor Malays (Lewis, 2007).