Stereotypes In America

Television’s role in Americans’ lives has grown since its invention. Many people tune in to television for entertainment and information, be it something as trivial as weather forecast or something as big as a terrorist attack. In many cases, what people see on the television programs becomes their perceived reality. With that being said, it is comprehensible for some people to unknowingly accept the stereotypes about minorities, such as Asian-Americans, that are promoted by television, thus expecting certain behaviors from individuals of these groups. But what effects do stereotypes have on Asian-Americans in the United States? Stereotypes, even when considered to be ‘positive,’ depersonalize individuals, forcing them into a certain mold or …show more content…
As they grow older, they are told that stereotypes are bad. However, stereotyping is not a crime in itself. It is essentially generalization, serving as, according to screenwriter Stephanie Ericsson – the author of “The Ways We Lie”, “a form of shorthand” (375). According to Ericsson, with the vast amount of information being thrown at mankind, it is almost out of question to make an attempt to see everything in details, which is why generalization is necessary. Stereotyping, a form of generalizations, enables people to easily categorize new things based on previous experiences with something similar, hence a better and quicker reaction. It is a lot easier to adapt to new situations when people don’t have to analyze every small …show more content…
The pressure to do well also can cause the stereotyped person to perform poorly in the subjects, which may make the person feel like an outcast for not possessing the same qualities as those who are in their stereotyped group. Such alienation may lead to a withdrawal from social interactions. In his work called “The Futile Pursuit of Happiness “, Fast Company magazine editor Jon Gertner suggests that being connected to another individual can significantly enhance a person’s well-being. This means that those who don’t fit the stereotypes may experience a decrease in happiness because they feel like they can’t connect to those who belong to their group as they don’t share the same trait assigned to the group. Yuan may try to act like he is good at math while secretly working hard to earn high grades to maintain the façade, but it is unlikely for him to do well when he doesn’t naturally possess the ability to immediately grasp and apply mathematical concepts. It can create low self-esteem when he is under the bar because he may feel powerless and disappointed in himself since he can’t earn high grades even when he tries hard. His failure to live up to the hype can cause Yuan to feel alienated and alone even among other Asians, including Yingjie.