Making Generalizations is a Sign of Ignorance

As a foreigner, let me just say that most people that I know (not just Americans) think they know everything about people in ghettos, China, or the Middle East, but in reality, they know dip.

Then they try to make generalizations based on what little they know. Hell, I bet you they don't even know what it is to live in a poor immigrant family that's in the US.

So I don't think people should say how others feel because they expect them to feel that way, because I think they might take your arrogance as even more offensive.

For example, "People in the Middle East are living under dictatorships and have no freedom."

I still remember a few people thinking that the Chinese are still living like they were under Mao.

You have to live in their country and live with them to understand them.

I've lived in Germany, France, Switzerland, China, and 5 states in the US.

It took me 10 years to only kind of understand Americans. And I think part of that is understanding English first.

Flagged because people need to read more of this type of stuff.

Not that it will do them any good, but...

I'll flag this too. If you've ever been to places like the Appalachians, or seen some of the Native American Reservations, you don't have to go overseas to understand how miserable life can suck, or that you feel like your all alone and have nothing to keep going for but people do. It's amazing. But the misery is the same no matter what part of the Erath your suffering in...

There are FAR FAR too many factors that would be involved in making an honest appraisal of every person you meet. We have thousands of preferences maybe HUNDREDS of thousands it would take like a week or months just to introduce yourself to every person you greet. It is easy and FASTER to just take a few of the larger more obvious preferences or things that people are born with to categorize them and make a judgement.

This is why I make my largest effort to fight against my human instincts and STRENUOUSLY try to not pre judge anyone or have any notions about who they are or what they value.

Sometimes you will have no choice. Someone pointing a gun at your face is not really interested in hearing about what you think about pizza toppings. Someone trying to cut your head off with a sword because you do not worship their beliefs is not going to want to hear about how you think a stick shift is better than an automatic transmission.

But other than that I really do like to meet and talk to everyone without pre conceived notions of them. You will often times be surprised and maybe make a new friend

reply to post by die_another_day


so true. people fail to relize other lands in this small cacoon of a country.

reply to post by die_another_day


your thread made me laugh...

like the thread..

"what would happen if there were no more hypothetical questions?""


you generalize as ignorantly as anyone else..

Here is a good example.

How could anyone claim to know who I am or what I am like?

I don't even know who the hell I am and I barely know what I am like...

reply to post by darrman


Ha ha! I was just thinking the same thing!
I'm reading generalization statements, about generalizations.



Something like that. Surely you get the gist of it.

As an American, let me say I am sick of people from Australia, New Zealand, Greece,England, Mars, Jupiter, etc etc thinking they know how best to run our country (when they don't even live here), and are so sure that I am am a warloving,racist,uneducated redneck,country music loving 400 pound moron (when you don't even know me)....
Please- provide me some proof of this wonderful Utopia all of you live in with no faults,problems,etc etc....

Clearly a few people above have no reading comprehension skills because you did not make generalizations about generalizations. You stated a very obvious fact that makes itself damningly apparent just by reading a few threads here on this site.

Yes, I think most people do make generalizations and it does create barriers and breeds more ignorance. Unfotunately, I think this problem will continue until the majority of the people in the world start understanding the spiritual world around them like their ancient ancestors.

Making generalizations about how making generalizations is a sign of ignorance is a sign of ignorance.

reply to post by die_another_day


Starred and Flagged..

I find American's and Europeans are often very critical of everyone else in the world just to make them feel better about their government..

I can't say about other places in the world.

Europeans though think Americans are ignorant and selfish.

And

Americans think Europeans are ignorant and selfish..

I've come to the belief that they are just to different cultures that ultimately get along well when you take out the factor of head strong humans

Originally posted by Skippy1138
As an American, let me say I am sick of people from Australia, New Zealand, Greece,England, Mars, Jupiter, etc etc thinking they know how best to run our country (when they don't even live here), and are so sure that I am am a warloving,racist,uneducated redneck,country music loving 400 pound moron (when you don't even know me)....
Please- provide me some proof of this wonderful Utopia all of you live in with no faults,problems,etc etc....

Nah, I'm from Australia and reckon you probably like Rap music.

Making generalizations is human, and yes, in that sense of the fact they are 'ignorant' because humans are ignorant. I would go out on a limb and say that 90% of the decisions you make throughout the day are based off of generalizations, or predetermined opinions, based on previous experiences, or hear-tell.

Think about it. How do you choose which way to go to work? You make a decision based on generalizations. How do you choose where to eat? You make a decision based on a generalization. The list goes on.

I understand what the OP is saying here, but it is human to make generalizations. That's just the way it is.

The word "ignorant" is thrown around as such an insult, when it is actually, by definition, an unavoidable human condition.

ig·no·rant
   /ˈɪgnərənt/ [ig-ner-uhnt]
–adjective
1.lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned: an ignorant man.
2.lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact: ignorant of quantum physics.
3.uninformed; unaware.
4.due to or showing lack of knowledge or training: an ignorant statement.

reply to post by die_another_day


Aren't you making generalisations about those who make generalisations?

I think you mean "Stereotypes about foreigners is a sign of Ignorance"

reply to post by ChaosComplex


Yeah people generalize about ignorance too much. There are also different kind of ignorant as well.

Being ignorant, while being on the internet is the worst kind I think. You want to learn something, you can. You just choose not to.

Being ignorant because you live in poverty, that's the other end of the spectrum of ignorant. There is really nothing these people can do about it. They don't have computers, with the internet, loads of money to spend on books etc.

Every human on this planet is an individual. They are each unique and different. To say you know people cause you have lived among them is incorrect. You know the culture of those people. The people themselves are individuals and may not agree with the beliefs of their own culture.

Originally posted by die_another_day

It took me 10 years to only kind of understand Americans. And I think part of that is understanding English first.

I star you a million times for this

I do agree, people make assumptions and generalizations on people and situations they know nothing about. The only way to truly know is to live in their shoes!

I always try to picture myself in someone else's shoes because you never know where someone is coming from and even then it's hard.

I dont like to assume or judge anyone no matter where they are.

reply to post by backinblack


Nope- I'm more of a "classic rock" kinda guy