School of Singaporean stereotypes

Abstract

We are surrounded by stereotypes. I stereotype others, and others stereotype me, and

we all, at the same time, stereotype ourselves. It is an inevitable social habit that we

acquire through many different ways and in different stages of our lives. Stereotyping is

considered to be a cognitive step people take to learn about others, communicate and

make sense of situations, especially those that they are less familiar with. People

categorize those they meet or see through a process of deconstruction and decoding,

reading the people around them through the way others dress, behave, the language they

use and even the environment they are in.

There is always this tension going on: stereotypes relate to prejudice and even

discrimination. As such, it instantly connotes negativity. Yet it is something so common

and so natural that we often do not even realize that we are stereotyping. It is such a

sensitive topic yet at the same time we are usually so casual about it, at least in the local

context that we are in. I feel that there is so much room to explore into this topic that is

most of the time feared and at the same time, taken for granted.