Darn Stereotypes

**denmcdough** · 1st February 10, 02:53 PM

Stereotyping is what we all do. That's a part of being human. But, when we take our prejudices, bigotry, racism, and then act upon it, like rude remarks, violence, etc., then this become the problem.

Much of what we here against kilt wearing stems from ignorance. It's what 'they' become use to, and if they're not use to seeing kilts, then we, the kilted, must be considered weird in their eyes. People gravitate toward like minded people, and then judge them according to their own standards. They have no reason to go out of their comfort zone to get to know you, or to understand where you're coming from.

Groups will put themselves at the center of the universe and accept that their views are all important, and that the world revolves around them and their views. So, the further you, or your group, is from me, the weirder you must be. They can not associate with anyone (kilt wearers) different than themselves. It's out of their realm. Thus, rude remarks.

What to do? Keep on walkin' with kilted pride!!!

**CDNSushi** · 1st February 10, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by McFarkus

My son's assumption is that anyone he meets is an idiot or an ***. No benefit of the doubt - they have to prove otherwise.

OTOH I tend to give folks the benefits of the doubt, but it's hard when they've had the following operation

Hmmm.. I've always wondered what a recto-cranial inversion operation looked like. Now I know!

**ABG0819** · 1st February 10, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by CDNSushi

Hmmm.. I've always wondered what a recto-cranial inversion operation looked like. Now I know!

Shouldn't that be recto-cranial "insertion" operation???

**Jdot84** · 1st February 10, 07:05 PM

I would have figured that you would have been heckeld about the boilermaker hoodie! lol
Sorry about your experince you would think that people woul have evolved past that by now.

**Jaggy thistle** · 2nd February 10, 08:24 AM

My experiance of large cities is that nobody bothers what others wear I am often in Glasgow and have had many compliments an occasional shout of give us a flash!! is the only negative comment I have heard

**Tobus** · 2nd February 10, 09:42 AM

Sorry about your experince you would think that people woul have evolved past that by now.

Sadly, stereotyping and prejudice against anything out of the norm has always been part of human sociology and likely always will. It was an evolutionary defense mechanism; part of the tribal social structure, and for good reason. It probably kept a lot of people alive. Modern "civilization" hasn't been able to breed that out of us and possibly never will. It's an instinctive reaction that takes conscious effort to repress.

Human nature is, and has always been, tribal. We tend to flock to those around us who are like us (whether those similarities be racial/ethnic, religious, political, or what have you). And it just comes with the territory, so to speak, that people will mistrust those who are different. We don't have to like it, and we should always strive to overcome it as a society, but we should also understand that it's natural. It's easy to blow someone off as a bigot or as closed-minded, or to say that they should have evolved past it by now. But if we reflect on WHY people act that way, it could make things easier for us in trying to overcome them.

**ABG0819** · 2nd February 10, 10:45 AM

Isn't it odd that we all have stories of people down grading us because we choose to wear a traditional, can I say it manly, garment simply because it is unbifercated (my spelling is horrible). Yet these young, and sometimes not so young, hooligans wear trousers and jeans down to there knee caps and we are told that we have to accept their cultural differances...does anyone else see the hypocracy there????? Just wondering

**Howard Clark** · 2nd February 10, 11:46 AM

Helping to endanger stereotypes is much of what I like to do.

**macwilkin** · 2nd February 10, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Zardoz

How cosmopolitan of the city folk! I think the whole "Progressive, Forward Thinking, Politically Correct, Multiculturalism" attitude thing is often just a glamour covering the real fears, insecurites and isolation that most urban dwellers feel.
I feel like most small town folk are generally more accepting of whatever 'differences' folks may have.

Or they are at least polite enough to keep their mouth shut!

T.

**ali8780** · 2nd February 10, 08:48 PM

I'm so impressed with you guys and your thick skins--if I received half of the negative comments any one of you get I think I'd cry. And I consider myself to be a pretty thick-skinned woman.