IMHO by PopopThePatriot: Cultural Stereotypes

Stereotypes are something most everyone is familiar with. A stereotype is a standard, simple belief about a particular group of people, often based on some cultural observations.  In this essay, I will cover three somewhat common stereotypes: Only criminals have tattoos, All Asians are really smart in mathematics, and All Irish people are heavy drinkers.  

Let’s first examine a stereotype, which is not as much an issue in society as it once was; only criminals have tattoos. Although tattoos are becoming more and more common, and therefore, accepted in society, there is still an argument to be made that this negative stereotype for tattoos still exists today. For much of modern American history, tattoos were seen as something only criminals would get.  The argument may look something like this: All prisoners have tattoos, and prisoners are criminals, so therefore everyone with tattoos is a criminal. This is an example of a valid deductive argument based on structure. It has two premises, which could be valid, and this argument has established a connection between the premises and the conclusion. This argument is not necessarily sound, however, as it is questionable that at least my first premise is true, and certainly not the conclusion. 

Take a look at this argument restructured as an inductive argument. Unlike a deductive argument, an inductive argument introduces a conclusion that may not be contained in the premises. An inductive argument might look something like this: Most prisoners have tattoos, and all prisoners are criminals. Cameron has tattoos. Therefore, Cameron is a criminal. Certainly we have no way of knowing if Cameron is a criminal or has ever even been arrested. We assume, based on the fact Cameron has tattoos, that he is a criminal. There are obviously many people with tattoos who have never been to prison, or even committed a crime. This is a weak inductive argument as there are most probably prisoners who do not have tattoos, and we also know there are people with tattoos who are not criminals.

The tattoo argument, I believe, is an ad hominem fallacy, basically guilt by association. Just because Cameron has tattoos, doesn’t mean he is a criminal, and vice versa. 

In high school, whether it was Geometry, Calculus, or Trigonometry, these twins of Asian descent, the Okomoto’s, always seemed to be ahead of the class. Paul and Jill tutored me and helped me to be successful in high school mathematics. The Okomoto’s are of Asian descent, therefore all Asians must be really smart in mathematics.  This is a valid deductive argument, however not a sound one. The Okomoto twins are Asian. The Okomoto twins are smart in math. Therefore Asians are smart in math. The premises are true, but the conclusion does not support a sound argument. I would need more supporting evidence in my premises to make this a sound argument. I would need more than just Paul and Jill to determine all Asians are smart in math. 

This argument mostly represents a hasty generalization. Just because Jill and Paul are really smart in mathematics, all Asian people are also really smart in mathematics. Of course, the origins of the stereotype are unknown but the stereotype supports my argument that just because the twins are Asian and smart in math, all Asians must also be smart in math. 

To provide a little background on this stereotype, I looked into some references in the AU librar. According to the book, Buffoonery in Irish Drama (Heinninge. 2009), many of the stereotypes about Irish drunks come from the Irish themselves through their playwrights during the early parts of the nineteenth century. The author says due to the exaggerated characters in stage play, figures often become accepted as true. It is thought that this is where the stereotype surrounding Irish people being heavy drinkers originated, and now in modern times, when an Irish person is drunk, the stereotype is supported.  

A few years ago, while celebrating my daughter’s nuptials, the argument was made: You don’t want to try and out-drink Cameron, he’s Irish, and all Irish folks are heavy drinkers. This is an example of a weak inductive argument. The conclusion that I am a heavy drinker because I am Irish was made based on an unsupported stereotype, most likely promulgated through stage-play over one hundred years ago.  There is no evidence I am a heavy drinker other than my boisterous proclamation of my Irish heritage and applying the assumed stereotype. 

It is possible to apply the False Authority argument to this stereotype given the discovery of the origins, however, until this course; I had never looked that up. Yet the stereotype continues to be applied. Most correctly, however, this stereotype is also an ad hominem fallacy. Again, because of the stereotype, it is assumed that I am a heavy drinker due to my Irish heritage. 

In conclusion, in some way, I believe all stereotypes can be placed in the ad hominem fallacy category. Without truly knowing where the stereotype originates, how can we apply that stereotype to any person or group simply because they are part of that group? It all ends up being “guilt by association” or, as the term ad hominem originates from the Latin, “to the person.” Stereotypes can sometimes be helpful when we try to understand how to act towards a certain group. But on that same note, it can be harmful. A stereotype can us understand a culture, or it can cause us to fear or insult that culture. As logical thinkers, we must take care to dissect stereotypical arguments and learn how to use them for good, and to do no harm. 

I’m #PopopThePatriot, and that is my humble opinion. Opinions are like, you know, so please let me know yours in the comments below. Follow me on Twitter @im_popop

References

Heininge, K. (2009). Buffoonery in Irish Drama : Staging Twentieth- Century Post-Colonial

Stereotypes: New York, NY: Peter Lang

Mosser, K. (2011). Logic: An Introduction. Retrieved from

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUPHI103.11.2.