STEREOTYPES

If the truth were told, most, if not all, of us are guilty of stereotyping both individuals and institutions, at least occasionally. A stereotype begins with the assumed word “all”, as in “all Italians are,” “all businesses are,” “all lawyers are,” and then we add our conclusion to what all these people or institutions are even though we know that not all, or even most, Italians or businesses or lawyers are what we just said they are.

Of course, there are also times when our stereotypes do not denigrate others but, in fact, praise them. Even then, again, while our praises may be well-received by the particular group, they and we know that not everyone in that group can be so praised. Not all Italians like wine, opera and garlic. I am full-blooded Italian and don’t like any of them even those most Italians I know, even those in my own family, do.

Or as someone else put it this way: Heaven is where the police are British, the chefs are Italian, the mechanics are German, the lovers are French and it’s all organized by the Swiss. On the other hand, Hell is where the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss and it’s all organized by the Italians. Wonderful stereotypes to be sure.

To be sure, also, those stereotypes are rather close to the truth, if the truth were told. Yes, some British police are brutal, some Italians can’t cook their way out of a skillet, some Germans don’t know a wrench from a screwdriver, some French are cold fish and some Swiss can’t keep their checkbooks balanced. But in general whoever described heaven that way came close to a fair stereotype…and of hell, too!

Stereotypes may be fine as far as they go and they only go so far. They serve as an introduction, if you will, but only as a tentative one. If we want to go deeper into a subject or get to know another on anything but a superficial level, then we had better hold loose with that initial stereotype we have of that person otherwise it will only color our impression but also make it almost, if not, impossible to truly get to know who that person is and what makes him or her tick.

Stereotypes are generalizations and generalizations are nothing upon which we can build any relationship. In fact, they impede the making of relationships, which, to be honest again, may be one reason why we sometimes cling to them. If all fill-in-the-blanks think or act that way and we don’t like that way, we don’t have to deal with this particular person we have lumped in with that group.

Think what a time Jesus would have had had he allowed local stereotyping determine whom he called as disciples: all fisherman are dull, all tax collectors are thieves, all, well, the list goes on. Jesus never lumped anyone into any category. He met each person as an individual; and instead of pre-judging him or her, he allowed that person’s persona to manifest itself on its own. That was not easy for him, being human, and it is not easy for humans either. But it is the only way to get to know another. It is also the only way to live in community one with another.