How Does Liptmann Define Stereotypes

Walter Lippmann defined stereotypes as “for the most part we do not first see, and then define, we define first and then see” (Lippmann p. 54-55). Lippmann expressed stereotypes as a characteristic element of human perception which makes it hard for humans to experience the world first hand. Lippmann stated stereotypes as someone else’s experience that becomes another person’s imagination. Our opinions come from other people’s perceptions. Lippmann writes that unfamiliarity and foreignness contribute to how we characterize things and people. For example, Lippmann writes, “Foreign languages that we do not understand always seem jibberings, babblings, in which it is impossible to fix a definite, clear-cut individualized group of sounds” (Lippmann p. 54).
The problem with trying to find meaning is that it is difficult. Everyone defines things differently. Lippmann wrote an experienced layman might define a piece of metal by describing its shape and texture, while a chemist will define the exact metal by its chemical makeup. …show more content…
Stereotypes rob humans from the truth. Society influences how humans view things. We cannot understand human actions until we can figure out what motivated their behavior. How we look at life and how much we know in terms of history influences how we look at and how we use stereotypes. Art influences how stereotypes are created and perpetuated. For example, Lippmann explained how the movie “Birth of a Nation” shaped our understanding of what the Ku Klux Klan was. Stereotypes are passed down from one generation to another, like a biological