This week’s special!!
A serving of Intercultural Communication!!

“ええぇぇぇ～”　＿|￣|O |||

OK! Before I try to make any sense, I’ve read comments in some blogs that our comm. blogs are filled with regurgitation of what we had learnt in that respective week.
So I’m gonna try writing in a more casual manner. (Keyword: TRY)

I’m sure everyone has the experience of hearing stereotypical comments, or even making some on your own, of specific groups of people.
To make things ‘fair’ for everyone, I shall note down one of my own:
“Indian men like to raise their arms to hold the bar at the top in the MRT trains and air their armpits.”
Now, on how I had come to this ‘stereotype’:
Every time when I’m in a packed MRT train, I will usually see this ‘phenomenon’ of one or two Indian men raising their arms to reach for the bar where the handrails are hung, regardless of their height, for support, when there is a holding bar /pole right besides them, or a handrail right beside their hands. There was even this one instance, this Indian man was stretching so far up, I swear he would have been spinning like a top if there was enough space for him.
(think Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes)
So basically, I based my stereotype on the frequency of such incidents I had witnessed. (And also because of the strong impressions of the reaction of people around these men) But then again, the fact that I’m using ‘stereotype’ for myself means that I am aware that not all Indian men are like that!
Though, when I see another similar incident, my thinking is automatically tuned to this ‘stereotype’ again.

Other stereotypes I’ve heard of include:

  • Women are typically worse drivers than men (I’m guilty of this 😛 ).
  • The Chinese are the best when it comes to mathematics (especially when it’s about money, I guess).
  • Men do better in Physics than Women, because…(see next point)
  • Men are more simple-minded than Women (we do not question the formulas, we just apply them).
  • Anime = Hentai (then doesn’t that make Cartoons = Porn? Try imagining Alvin and the Chipmunks that way)

OK, enough of those.
Well, I’m thinking of doing an elaboration of why we arrive at certain stereotypes, but that would make things so, so dry. Like dry ice. All I shall say is that, they all rise from differences.
So I shall end things with a view of mine instead:

It is generally agreed upon that one must not stereotype, and that is ‘not good’ to stereotype against people. But in my opinion, sometimes stereotyping can bring a little surprise or fun in your life, especially when someone turns out to be the polar opposite of what you had thought he/she was (a stereotype), after getting to know that person well enough.
Don’t you agree? 🙂

PS.: I probably have to delete this post if things get out of hand, or if I get too many bruises on my body.
PS. of PS.: Is this post even relevant of what’s been covered in the course?

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