Critical Reflection 2

Few examples of sterotypes,

African Americans play sports. Latinos are gang members. Native Americans are alcoholics. Wheelchair-bound individuals are helpless. Gays are effeminate. Lesbians wear their hair short. Older adults need constant care. Anglos are either racist or are rednecks. Homeless people are drug addicts.

These and other stereotypes are perpetuated by visual messages presented in print, television, motion pictures, or computers-the media. Because visual messages are products of our sense of sight, pictures are highly emotional objects that have long-lasting staying power within the grayest regions of our brain. Consequently, media messages that stereotype individuals by their concentrations, frequencies, and omissions become a part of our long-term memory. The media typically portray members of diverse cultural groups within specific content categories-usually crime, entertainment, and sports-and almost never within general interest, business, education, health, and religious content categories.

I am not quite sure how to combat the usage of stereotypes in media. I think, however, it is very important that people are able to recognize the stereotypes. One of the best prevention for stereotyping is to use your common sense and to be reasonable.