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Ricky Ortuno
Professor Derohanessian
English 114A
26 November 2014
Stereotyping: Bad or Essential
Never before has humankind displayed so much diversity as in the 21st century where we
have faced people with different religion, culture, and race. This cooperation between different
people has brought society new innovation. It is also because of this diversity have we also
encountered misunderstandings and conflicts. Throughout life you are made witnessed to people
saying rude things about another person or group of people due to their stereotypical views.
Their beliefs are viewed as disgusting and rude because you should never judge a person by their
appearance. But sometimes you pre-judge a person because of their appearance and you fear for
your life. You immediately take precautions because you want to make sure you are safe rather
than be in harms way. Acting this way does not mean you are a bad person. Although it may feel
wrong stereotyping can save your life or the lives around you, protect your property, and can
maintain balance and peace.
When in the middle of war your senses must be heightened in order to compete with the
environment. As a soldier you cannot believe in coincidence or put your guard down because
there might a slight chance that your team of soldiers and yourself can get hurt. For example
during the Iraq War a famous American sniper named Chris Kyle was on a mission protecting a
group of marines from a distance when he gazed upon a suspicious woman covered from head to
toe in clothing. She was approaching the group of marines even after being warned to go back
inside so Chris Kyle took a long-range shot. The woman was actually concealing a hand grenade.

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Chris Kyle stated, The woman was already dead. I was just making sure she didn't take any
Marines with her." It was a very tough choice but if he ignored his instincts then his comrades
would have been injured or killed. When in a different country and when you are a soldier then
you must stereotype just to be safe because if Chris Kyle did not pull the trigger then the group
of marines could have been exposed to a fatal tragedy. In war you would rather be safe than
sorry because if some tragedy were to happen then the soldier that let that happen would feel
undeniably guilty.
People do not like being stereotyped because it has a lingering effect that stays with them
for quite a while. My father is the store director of a grocery store and he is aware of the stealing
that goes on within the store. My father will lose money if the products of the store are stolen
without payment. So I was present with my father in his office. We both look at the live video
from the security camera and my dad said right away Alright look at these two pointing to two
teenagers wearing hoodies and baggy pants. My father continued to say that I hate having to
assume but hey Im mostly right. We witnessed the two going in the aisle with the liquor and
beer. We continue to see them hide the three pack of beer under their sweaters. My dad heads out
the door and sees one of the teenagers in the aisle. One teenager puts the beer down and the other
rushes for the front door so I get out of the office and I tackle him down. My father viewed them
as hoodlums that were going to steal the stores products and my father was right. His store is
located in bad neighborhood so he has had to assume that shoplifting would appear quite often in
the store. Every time he catches a suspicious looking character he looks at the aisle he would go
in just to make sure he was not stealing. If my father did not pay closer attention to stereotypical
gangsters than he would lose a lot of store money because he tells me that this happens every day

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in the store sometimes three to four times in the day. That many items stolen in a week would not
go good for business. Rather to suspect than too lose money.
Stereotyping in a way can maintain balance within a certain place. For example I
witnessed two times on separate occasions airport security pulling aside a Middle Eastern males
covered in robes. Ever since the 9/11 tragedy airport security has been a lot more aware and take
precautions. Of course airport security is going to be shaken up because they are scared not
wanting to relive a day like 9/11. Being stereotyped at an airport is embarrassing and frustrating
but if they truly are not hiding an explosive device than they should dwell on the matter. The
suspected people should not get so angry at the airport security because they have to understand
that we went through a troubling time that caused us to have more suspicion toward some
people. Stereotyping at an airport is not what security wants to do but would rather have an upset
passenger than a plane to be stolen or worse.
Stereotypes can be "helpful in guiding us and shaping our attitudes and behaviors toward
other peoples, races, and cultures." But a lot of people allow stereotypes to drive their behavior.
Stereotypes often become part of a person's subconscious beliefs and people discriminate against
others based on their incomplete understanding or limited awareness of what is a common
assumption and not necessarily a fact. If you a stereotyping a person do not announce it because
if you are wrong about a person than you will look like a fool. Stereotypes and stereotyping are
natural and not necessarily harmful as long as they serve as a starting point in our attempt to
understand others and not a way to discourage a person or group. Stereotyping can be seen as a
way to understand a group of people. Stereotyping causes us to be aware of these differences and
try to understand them. Stereotypes should not be meant to discourage another human being or to
justify the reasons why you lost in a game. Those are known as positive stereotypes when you

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specify that this particular group is good at running. The problem is that an obnoxious remark
like that will not go well to the people of that group because no one likes to be categorized. In
the article Reality TV Goes Where Football Meets the Hijab by Porochista Khakpour she
discusses Ryan Seacrests announcement stating, Armed with chromed-out cars, logo-ridden
purses and designer outfits, theyve got it, and theyre no afraid to flaunt it. But while theses
young socialites know how to spend money they also know the value of family and tradition.
Its a part of Los Angeles culture and lifestyle that definitely has to be seen to be believed. This
goes on to say that they may shop a certain way but they are truly about the family life and that
Los Angeles should watch the show The Shahs of Sunset to witness that they are like a regular
family. I will admit that even I stereotype people mainly because I say it as a joke and people
have to know that I am joking or else I would feel like a racist. I do not actually believe in all the
stereotypes I make fun of but there are times when I stereotype a person who would cause harm
to me but he was actually a harmless person.
In conclusion stereotyping is bad to flaunt around. If you are thinking of a stereotypical
subject then you should keep it to yourself rather than boast the comment out and then looked
upon as mean and rude. Do not immediately apply a stereotype to a certain person. Keep quiet
and get to know the person if given the opportunity before stamping a permanent judgment
Stereotyping is a very essential tool to have living in this world because you never know what
can go wrong in a certain situation. It would be much preferred if you were wrong about
something than to have some sort of harmful activity come your way. Stereotyping can save your
life and the people around you. Stereotyping can save you money when you catch a suspicious
person stealing. Stereotyping can maintain a peaceful environment. Sometimes you have to judge

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a person by how they look because a persons life is very fragile and if something were to
happen that can damage your life then that would be horrible.

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Work Cited
"David Livermore Global Thinker and Author." David Livermore. N.p., n.d. Web. 26
Nov. 2014.
Khakpour, Porochista. "Reality TV Goes Where Football Meets the Hijab." New York
Times (2011): 525. Web.
Childs, M. (2013, Feb 06). Chris kyle. The Independent Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1284194753?accountid=7285