There is a belief circulating that Steretypes don't really exist any more, and everyone is mostly open-minded (except for the most ignorant and isolated among us). While true...this DOES NOT MEAN that those Stereotypes are not being replaced by ARCHETYPES. This is my firm belief.
I don't normally use Dictionary.com to help prove my points, but I felt it was necessary here for some background:
ar·che·type
Pronunciation Key (ärk-tp)
n.
1. An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype: “‘Frankenstein’... ‘Dracula’... ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’... the archetypes that have influenced all subsequent horror stories” (New York Times).
2. An ideal example of a type; quintessence: an archetype of the successful entrepreneur.
3. In Jungian psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious.
And then:
ster·e·o·type
Pronunciation Key (str--tp, stîr-)
n.
1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.
3. Printing. A metal printing plate cast from a matrix molded from a raised printing surface, such as type.
The two things in bold are what I am focusing on here, and the topic, of course, is Minorities, Discrimination, or whatever other word you choose for it. We are at a point in time right now where (and I'm not sure how to word this) perceptiveness of Blackness is at an all-time high (I will not speak for Latinos, but I am sure some of you Non-Spanish Speakers feel some of this as well).
I feel that, for several reasons, Blacks have been designated #1 for Archetyping, and the process is building up more and more steam, and becoming almost unstoppable.
If you are, say, a Black person that dresses 'casually', votes Republican, doesn't 'speak Black', and so on......you are essentially a Social Leper. This is one of the most unique situations there is among any race in America.
AND WORSE...ABSOLUTELY WORSE than that.....you will have White people (and some Asians/Latinos, but fewer) who, because they were raised "around Black people", will actually have the nerve to tell you you "aren't [acting] Black". It is truly amazing...and I feel that this ideology and perception is on the rise.
This of course, and always, comes full circle back to politics and political affiliations, therefore, attitudes regarding society and culture as a whole.
This is basically the 21st Century version of Divide and Conquer. The White Man is free to be of any political affiliation he/she so chooses, and he/she is smart enough to divide those numbers roughly in half. --- The Black Man, on the other hand, is expected to vote ONLY for Democrats, to believe in Liberal ideals like Unrestricted Abortion, Legalized Drugs, Income Redistribution, and so on.
This is further complicated by the fact that White Liberals are now breaking themselves down even further: Rich 'Democrats' (different from Republicans in 'very few' regards).....and 'Poor' to 'Middle Class' Label-less people (Liberals, basically).
But I digress......allow me to conclude.
If you are a Black man and no longer believe in these things I outlined above...forget not fitting a STEREOTYPE...you are now, IMO, not fitting an ARCHETYPE, an expected social norm designated for YOUR color and ethnicity.
In other countries, this is known as a CASTE SYSTEM. In our country, we don't even have a name for it yet because people don't realize whats going on.
I don't normally use Dictionary.com to help prove my points, but I felt it was necessary here for some background:
ar·che·type
Pronunciation Key (ärk-tp)
n.
1. An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype: “‘Frankenstein’... ‘Dracula’... ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’... the archetypes that have influenced all subsequent horror stories” (New York Times).
2. An ideal example of a type; quintessence: an archetype of the successful entrepreneur.
3. In Jungian psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious.
And then:
ster·e·o·type
Pronunciation Key (str--tp, stîr-)
n.
1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.
3. Printing. A metal printing plate cast from a matrix molded from a raised printing surface, such as type.
The two things in bold are what I am focusing on here, and the topic, of course, is Minorities, Discrimination, or whatever other word you choose for it. We are at a point in time right now where (and I'm not sure how to word this) perceptiveness of Blackness is at an all-time high (I will not speak for Latinos, but I am sure some of you Non-Spanish Speakers feel some of this as well).
I feel that, for several reasons, Blacks have been designated #1 for Archetyping, and the process is building up more and more steam, and becoming almost unstoppable.
If you are, say, a Black person that dresses 'casually', votes Republican, doesn't 'speak Black', and so on......you are essentially a Social Leper. This is one of the most unique situations there is among any race in America.
AND WORSE...ABSOLUTELY WORSE than that.....you will have White people (and some Asians/Latinos, but fewer) who, because they were raised "around Black people", will actually have the nerve to tell you you "aren't [acting] Black". It is truly amazing...and I feel that this ideology and perception is on the rise.
This of course, and always, comes full circle back to politics and political affiliations, therefore, attitudes regarding society and culture as a whole.
This is basically the 21st Century version of Divide and Conquer. The White Man is free to be of any political affiliation he/she so chooses, and he/she is smart enough to divide those numbers roughly in half. --- The Black Man, on the other hand, is expected to vote ONLY for Democrats, to believe in Liberal ideals like Unrestricted Abortion, Legalized Drugs, Income Redistribution, and so on.
This is further complicated by the fact that White Liberals are now breaking themselves down even further: Rich 'Democrats' (different from Republicans in 'very few' regards).....and 'Poor' to 'Middle Class' Label-less people (Liberals, basically).
But I digress......allow me to conclude.
If you are a Black man and no longer believe in these things I outlined above...forget not fitting a STEREOTYPE...you are now, IMO, not fitting an ARCHETYPE, an expected social norm designated for YOUR color and ethnicity.
In other countries, this is known as a CASTE SYSTEM. In our country, we don't even have a name for it yet because people don't realize whats going on.
