Stereotyped Society

It is said that in the first three seconds you see someone, you form an opinion of them.  Why is this?  Why is it so instinctive for people to judge people just by how they look?  This is the very basis of stereotyping.  Stereotyping is judging a person based on their appearance and associating them with a certain group because of these appearance.  For example, Asians are often associated with nerds, or African American with jocks.  Stereotyping, as simple and innocent as it sounds, can be very harmful.  For example, in John Smith's story, "The General History of Virginia," he constantly describes the Native Americans as savages, and always describes their ways as primitive or barbaric.  This stereotyping was very negative for since the Explorers and colonists only saw the Natives as savage, barbaric beings, they saw them as nothing more than obstacles in the way of their colonization.  This type of mindset stuck with Americans throughout the ages, allowing them to constantly push the poor Native Americans westward until there was no more land to push them off too.  The stereotyping that the Native Americans were simply barbaric savages led to the taking of their land and the beginning of tough reservation life for the unique and very interesting Native Americans.  When speaker Michael Fowlin visited Troy High School this past week, he revealed the negative effects stereotyping can have on students and their emotions.  For example he talked about the pressures of the Jewish student living in a non-Jewish community.  Being the only Jewish student at his school, Michael portrayed the realistic story of how being the target of stereotyping jokes led him almost to commit suicide.  This type of stereotyping is very bad for society.  After Mr. Fowlin's performance, ever student was thinking about the stereotyping they have done and that are present in everyday society.  Although not all stereotyping is bad, I think almost ever student in that auditorium now sees that there are limits to stereotyping, and I truly hope everyone thinks before he judges.  Everyone deserves more than a three second opinion.