Black-Wolf-Soul wrote:
not all emo's cut themselves and p.s wikipedia isn't the place to search for answers as is wikipedia can be edited by anyone even by yourself.. and plus why would someone start a forum on this
no cool
The topic was quite straightforward. The discussion isn't on 'emo' and 'violence' it is on stereotypes (using 'black hair' and its correlation to 'emo' as an example), which are made in the shoutboxes.
The amount of stereotypes and the people using them as devices to encounter the world with is deeply saddening, for, it not only ruins many life opportunities for the stereotypers, but also for the people who are present during the act.
Words are very powerful. One must remember, that a single comment has all the power to change how other people act, think, and socialize with someone. Take for example, an evening party for the neighborhood, meant to introduce neighbors to each other. Mike is offered some wine, but refuses, taking a glass of water instead. Marie, who watches, says, 'Mike is the onle one drinking water. He must be an alcoholic,' and James, at that time conversing with her, says, 'He seemed such a nice guy. He offered to drive my kids to school. Now, obviously, that is out of the question.'
James might have just as well said, 'That is a hurried conclusion to make. However, I do see your point. I'll find someone else to take my kids to school,' and, it would be, the same thing.
And this idea of what Mike 'is' will travel around. It might simple do a few things, and die out till it actually gets to Mikes ears, but still, before it does, this claim has a world and a power of its own. Mike himself is, uninvolved at all, rendered totally helpless, at the whim of language. Even if Mike actually is an 'alcoholic', how can people simply, by the presence of a word, say that he can endanger their kids? The adjective has many connotations, but in its case, one cannot come to a conclusion without further information.
This is a simple example, but, the stereotypes associated with people on a shoutbox have, in fact, the potential to be a lot worse, for the conclusions people make are entirely based upon language.
I do agree this is a great problem, especially for those, who obtain stereotypes by those who use them.
In many cases, as young people grow older, they do tend to go for more introspection concerning their own beliefs and how much credibility stereotypes give them, and they do drop many. Some never do, some do a lot. So really depends on what you say to people who use such stereotypes as to identify others with black hair as 'emo' or 'goth', and telling them so will most likely help bring out the bias in their views. It was after all society that brought these stereotypes to them, and will be society which will ignite their removal.
Other than that, one must deal with stereotypes. They are all over the place, and are, in some way or another, affecting us all. The best thing we can do is point them out, and hope that the stereotyper understands the power they hold to de-indivdualize a person with no need for an existant individual in the first place.
Yet, as long as we ourselves can see that we are each our own, we are as safe as we can be.
