5 ms·

Out of curiousity, what are the social justifications for stereotyping and bullying?

by bbq 16y ago

yummyfajitas 16y ago
Basing decisions on stereotypes is often statistically optimal in the absence of other information. For example, to get home, you must pass through one of two dark alleys. Dark alley 1 has a black man in it, dark alley 2 has an asian woman in it. If you base your decision of which dark alley to walk through on stereotypes ("blacks are mostly criminal", "asian women are good at math"), you are far less likely to be robbed than if you choose an alley at random. http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_06.html http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/offenses/expanded_informatio...
pasbesoin 16y ago
I meant, those who exercise prejudice and bullying place their targets at a disadvantage. We are learning that this has long term implications that can persist beyond the immediate events and even absent continued experience of that behavior. They disadvantage what they perceive as competition (I guess that's my statement/presumption). At least in the more immediate geographical and sociological (if that's the right word) context, this places them at a relative advantage. An advantage that may, as this article helps to demonstrate, persist over time and independent of further, continued action on their part. How it plays out in/for larger society, over time and with changing/advancing sociological and anthropological conditions? Well, I'm of the opinion that collaborative cooperation is increasingly needed and therefore these behaviors are, in the larger, developing context, counter-productive. But I don't have scientific evidence nor an argument based upon same to offer. EDIT: I.e., it's not simply "evil" that is "absent of logic/rationale/purpose" (whether conscious or not). Many may consider it evil, but it does not simply spring from the mind of a madman. And understanding how it works is useful in addressing it. I hope this clarifies what I meant. I don't condone it. But I get frustrated with people who refuse to understand how it works and that it does have real and persistent consequences. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" is not an adequate redress, of itself.

Out of curiousity, what are the social justifications for stereotyping and bullying?

by bbq 16y ago

Out of curiousity, what are the social justifications for stereotyping and bullying?

Basing decisions on stereotypes is often statistically optimal in the absence of other information. For example, to get home, you must pass through one of two dark alleys. Dark alley 1 has a black man in it, dark alley 2 has an asian woman in it. If you base your decision of which dark alley to walk through on stereotypes ("blacks are mostly criminal", "asian women are good at math"), you are far less likely to be robbed than if you choose an alley at random. http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_06.html http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/offenses/expanded_informatio...

pasbesoin 16y ago

I meant, those who exercise prejudice and bullying place their targets at a disadvantage. We are learning that this has long term implications that can persist beyond the immediate events and even absent continued experience of that behavior. They disadvantage what they perceive as competition (I guess that's my statement/presumption). At least in the more immediate geographical and sociological (if that's the right word) context, this places them at a relative advantage. An advantage that may, as this article helps to demonstrate, persist over time and independent of further, continued action on their part. How it plays out in/for larger society, over time and with changing/advancing sociological and anthropological conditions? Well, I'm of the opinion that collaborative cooperation is increasingly needed and therefore these behaviors are, in the larger, developing context, counter-productive. But I don't have scientific evidence nor an argument based upon same to offer. EDIT: I.e., it's not simply "evil" that is "absent of logic/rationale/purpose" (whether conscious or not). Many may consider it evil, but it does not simply spring from the mind of a madman. And understanding how it works is useful in addressing it. I hope this clarifies what I meant. I don't condone it. But I get frustrated with people who refuse to understand how it works and that it does have real and persistent consequences. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" is not an adequate redress, of itself.