Even though word stereotyping appeared in dictionaries not earlier than 150 years ago, the concept of it existed for a long while. With appearing of printing press it spread all over the world and brought new understandings about cultures and things to everybody. First media to use stereotyping were books. The characters that were famous usually corresponded to some particular standards and clichés, as, for instance, the villain, the prince, the princess, the farmer, the magician, the knight, the king, etc. Later on with a development of technologies, newspapers got into our lives, spreading new stereotypes about cultures and races, as for example early stereotypes of Native Americans or Black people. When movie industry opened its doors for eyes of millions of people around the globe, it fed them more and more stereotypes about life in different countries, about rich and poor, moreover bringing new stereotypical idols and standards of celebrities and movie stars. However the most dramatic stereotyping appeared on Tv. It felt like Tv is not able to exist and function without putting in our minds millions of clichés and stereotypes of every single issue, thing and person in this world. However, World Wide Web took the final step in putting all those stereotypes in easy access and making it a part of our existence, part of the way we perceive the world.
While stereotyping is an important and highly debatable issues nowadays, there are some stereotypes that influence out life in a great negative way. One of those is stereotypes on young people. Nowadays young people face a huge problem of dealing with adults who perceive them the way they are represented on the television, newspapers and internet. Young criminals, drug user, alcoholics, perverted generation that starts having dirty and dangerous sex too early, party people, irresponsible, rude and careless. This is what young people are expected to be, this is how they are portrayed by the media, by numerous tv shows, news reports and articles in magazines. And the effect of such attitude is evident. When young people are expected to do or to be something, they try fulfill those expectations. According to the research conducted by The Independent more than 52 % of media portrays young people in a negative way. This number is high and shows how are widespread are stereotypes about young people are.
If society is about to judge young generation for the way they are, they first need to look at what they expect them to be. Constant criticizing and disrespect and unstoppable expectation of failure is what young people face. These all causes young people to either struggle against stereotypes and try to prove this world and adults that they are capable of being mature and responsible, or give up and become what they are expected to be, start using drugs, have unsafe sex and abuse alcohol.
In conclusion, even though we tend to think that stereotyping is just a part of our human nature, that we need to generalize, make expectations and apply self-created standards, which are usually wrong, we have to consider the problems that we are creating by stereotyping everything. And while we forgot to care about present and be responsible for the past, we are obliged to improve our future. And we can do so by stopping young generation from being perceived so negative and stereotypical.
Works Cited :
Representation of Young People in Media. May 9th,2011. www.npsp.sa.gov. Web. http://www.npsp.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1010
Heidi Burgess. Stereotypes/ Characterization Frames. October 23, 2003. Beyond Intractability. May 9th, 2011. Web. http://beyondintractability.org/essay/stereotypes
Robert Verkaik and Arifa Akbar. October 23, 2006. The Independent. May 9th, 2011. Web. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/behind-the-stereotypes-the-shocking-truth-about-teenagers-421295.html
Media ToolKit.Youth Stereotyping and Its Effect. Media Awareness.ca. May 9th. 2011. Web.http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/special_initiatives/toolkit/stereotypes/youth_stereotypes_news.cfm
Žádné komentáře:
Okomentovat