Sterotypes
You know, I've been thinking today of specific instances where a stereotype of a certain kind of person has been proven completely correct.
I mean, cliches and stereotypes are there for a reason, right?
Here's my example: When my family was in Hawaii a few years ago, my dad and brothers took surfing lessons. They had to wear those ever-stylish water shoe things. At the end of the lesson the instructor, a 20-something guy from Seattle said, "If you could hand me your booties, dude, I'd be more than stoked." I laughed audibly. I mean, he was from Seattle.
I think, too, that sometimes people try to become that stereotype. Maybe it's to make them fit in more? I don't know. But can you think of any specific examples in your life where you have met a real, live stereotype? C'mon. You can think of at least one. And let's try to stay away from the whole "I met this Democrat/Republican one time that..." thing. :)
I mean, cliches and stereotypes are there for a reason, right?
Here's my example: When my family was in Hawaii a few years ago, my dad and brothers took surfing lessons. They had to wear those ever-stylish water shoe things. At the end of the lesson the instructor, a 20-something guy from Seattle said, "If you could hand me your booties, dude, I'd be more than stoked." I laughed audibly. I mean, he was from Seattle.
I think, too, that sometimes people try to become that stereotype. Maybe it's to make them fit in more? I don't know. But can you think of any specific examples in your life where you have met a real, live stereotype? C'mon. You can think of at least one. And let's try to stay away from the whole "I met this Democrat/Republican one time that..." thing. :)
posted by Lauren | 3:33 PM
9 Comments:
The admissions director for my High School wrote the following book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580081932/ref=sr_11_1/102-8779863-7206536?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Trevor is one of the nicest people I've ever met, but he is literally a living caricature. Completely fried. He called the other teachers "brahs," the students "dudes," and wore sandals, shorts and a faded t-shirt year-round. A number of us went down to Mexico with him one year and we listened to nothing but reggae, Santana and Led Zeppelin the whole way...
If the link doesn't work, the book is called "Surfin'Ary: A Dictionary of Surfing Terms and Surfspeak"
No, the link worked fine.
That's great. Have you read it? Looks like it'd be pretty entertaining.
Spicoli lives!
I haven't read the 2nd ed., but he let me read a copy of the original. I'm glad you posted this because it's reminded me to pick up a copy of the new version!
He also wrote a book called "Flinging Monkeys At the Coconuts" which is also awesome (it's a collection of great travel quotes). I think it's out of print though.
My old roommate Sherri - did you ever meet her? - used to be a model. I met a girl she did a Macy's bridal show with, and she was such the stereotype flakey, bimbo model, a nice girl, but so thick - we bumped into her in the street afterwards and she didn't even realise Sherri had been in the same show as her (there had been only 8 of them!). Both Sherri and I giggled about it for days!
Yeah, I remember Sherri. The saner one of your roommates. That's a good one. We can usually look at models to fill the stereotype.
C'mon, people, 2?!?! I get two examples of stereotypes?
I've met more than my share of Long Island princesses since I've been here. I'm afraid most of my other stereotypes are Eurotrash types and English stereotypes. One that I have gladly avoided is the ladette: the hard drinking/hard living English girl who lives on a diet of beer and fags. There have been a few happy-clappy Christians over the years. And some Utah Mormons that seemed to come straight out of a church video. The thing about stereotypes is that people tend to think of it as a negative thing, but often they're quite fun, and sometimes, quite reassuring.
ooh ooh, another stereotype... hard-faced Russian figure skaters!
I think you hamstrung mr. clark, Lauren, when you asked us to stay away from political stereotypes. ;)
If you really want to hear about stereotypes, I should just describe everyone I ever met in Northern California.
For instance: my friend Eva's ex was an adorably larval goth-boi who worked the night-shift as a mortician; half the homeless people in Berkeley are burnt-out former professors who walk up and down the streets raving about peace; oh, and the gutter-punks! Always with the gutter-punks!
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