I'm doing my school speech at the moment, and i decided to do it on Teenage Stereotypes and Labels.
Part of my research is to use interviews and the like, and i decided for part of that i would come to LiveWire, to see what the members here think.

Could you guys please take the time to answer a few questions i have?

1. What are some of the types of stereotypes and labels you hear in and around your school? (eg. Goth, Emo, Chav, Bogan, Punk and all that other bull people call others they dont understand)

2. What do you think of stereotyping and labels? Good? Bad? Opinions?

3. Why do you think people stereotype and label?

4. And for those who have a particular interest in the topic i am speaking about, Is there a particular angle i should take? (like, why its done, or about stereotyping or even taking the mickey out of the stereotypes?)

Thanx Guys, Y'all Rock!!

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P.a.i.n.s.t.a.k.e.n.l.y written..in her perfect hand..

2. Completely dumb. Peope should be known by their names, not by some silly label people gave them.

3. They're too lazy to get to know the person.

4. Why it's done, I guess.

(Edited by purplefrenchfry at 12:39 am on July 25, 2006)

2) umm... i don't think that it's a good thing.  i think it's kinda degrading.

3) because it puts people in their "respective groups".  that what my quest teacher said in the seventh grade and again int he eighth.  i don't really get it, but whatever tickles your pickle.

4) umm....  i think that it'd be kinda kewl to do a speech on why people stereotype other people.  i think that everyone labels everyone else, maybe even themselves.  so you should proably get a lot of people's opions about it and try to go from there.

2. Bad. You can't judge someone by what they wear, that's so stupid.

3. They need excuses to like/dislike someone.

4. I'd say, go for why it's done, and why certain stereotypes have the reputations they do.

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oh, she's a dreamer ♥
be the change you wish to see in the world
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in france studying on my year abroad

2. I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. A lot of our groups (in my school) label themselves, like emos. Goths do, too. The way I see it is that if they want to call themselves that, they can deal with anything that comes along with it. Plus, in my school, a lot of the groups aren't really defined. People don't hate you because you act a certain way.

3. People stereotype because, when you don't know someone, you judge them based on how they look or dress and how they act. Unless you take the time to really get to know them, you'll keep judging them based on what you observe.

4. That stereotyping is always going to happen no matter what. It's a pretty valid point. Even those who "don't believe in labels" are always going to judge people.

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La lune trop blême pose un diadème sur tes cheveux roux
La lune trop rousse de gloire éclabousse ton jupon plein trous
La lune trop pâle caresse l'opale de tes yeux blasés

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What are some of the types of stereotypes and labels you hear in and around your school? (eg. Goth, Emo, Chav, Bogan, Punk and all that other bull people call others they dont understand)

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I'll hear preppy, gothic, rocker, emo, gangsta, skater, poser, nerdy, etc. from time to time.  Most people don't seem to try and label every single person immediately, though.

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2. What do you think of stereotyping and labels? Good? Bad? Opinions?

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When people don't try to label every single person and only label those who act almost true to the actual definition, then it actually can be useful as one does get an idea of who they are.  But most people seem to take these definitions too far and attach negative connotations to them, so in general I don't like it.

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3. Why do you think people stereotype and label?

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Psychologically speaking, it's a strategy called "heuristics."  Heuristics are ways the human mind strategically finds a shortcut in thinking.  Labelling people is by far easier than trying to find an individual definition for each person.  Like I said, it only becomes bad when people take these definitions too far and attach negative connotations to them - thus forming negative feelings toward the person labelled due to a misunderstanding.

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4. And for those who have a particular interest in the topic i am speaking about, Is there a particular angle i should take? (like, why its done, or about stereotyping or even taking the mickey out of the stereotypes?)

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I'd suggest that you explore the definition of heuristic more and apply it to labelling and stereotyping.  Psychology is always a fun subject.

(Edited by Bud2400 at 3:24 am on July 30, 2006)