| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Psimulus
Sea Gull
Joined: Aug 23, 2008
Posts: 227
Location: Earth
|
 Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:02 am Post subject: Generalizations |
 |
|
Why does it seem that a large proportion of our species is incapable of specificity? Most people I encounter often generalize wrecklesly. I post this because it occurs so frequently. I am not immune from this though It is my experience that I do this less often than many of the personalities I come into contact with. I have read before that this is part of our human programming. On a basic level this seems to make sense. Though it also seems that being aware of when we generalize can assist us in the deterance of many conflicts. As an example, have you ever heard someone say that "That person is a bad influence." It is not the person who is bad, though perhaps some of their actions may be questionable considering that everything seems to be based on relative perspective. An individual I know recently stated, "I would not live there, it is a bad neighborhood." It is not the neighborhood that is bad, it is the perceived negative actions of some people who reside in said neighbor hood. What are some of your thoughts, comments, opinions?
_________________
The infinite Universe is the divine essence. We are of the Universe. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Sand
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 2035
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Well, just look at your location. Earth is pretty general. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Psimulus
Sea Gull
Joined: Aug 23, 2008
Posts: 227
Location: Earth
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
I use that location because many people I have encountered often negatively discriminate based on geographical location.
_________________
The infinite Universe is the divine essence. We are of the Universe. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Fnord
Metasyntactic Variable
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 3658
Location: Pantopia
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Sand wrote: | | Well, just look at your location. Earth is pretty general. |
Mine is even more general ... 
_________________
The leaders of the American automobile industry have been amazingly consistent in their management philosophy, in that they have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. |
|
| Back to top |
|
monty
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 05, 2007
Posts: 2507
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Pantopia = Utopia; everywhere and nowhere. |
|
| Back to top |
|
ToadOfSteel
Extremist Moderate
Joined: Sep 24, 2007
Age: 20
Posts: 2819
Location: New Jersey
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Generalization is the human's way of being able to make sense of it all... to be able to understand a potentially infinite number of subjects with a finite mind... |
|
| Back to top |
|
Sand
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 2035
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
| It's also a way of smearing a whole sector of humanity with the bad characteristics of a few. |
|
| Back to top |
|
TallyMan
Ghost in the machine
Joined: Mar 31, 2008
Age: 148
Posts: 5871
Location: Everywhere, nowhere and everywhen
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Generalising is a natural characteristic of everyone, probably of many animals too. I would say the important thing is to be aware when one is generalising and be aware that the generalisation may not be accurate when applied to a specific individual.
For example, late night you are walking home alone, you go down a subway and there is a group of 4 or 5 young men dressed in punk clothing. They appear to be drunk and rowdy, swearing, pushing and shoving each other. Generalising, but your first instinct is likely to be one of generalising and sensing this as a potential hostile situation so you may chose to walk an alternative route before they see you. It is quite possible that you could walk past these young men and there be no incident or they could even be friendly! But instinct kicks in and makes a generalisation.
If a dog is repeatedly beaten by its owner and a stranger raises his hand will not the dog back away or attack? Making a generalisation that humans are dangerous?
If you see lots of news articles about Muslim extremism, terrorism and violence that runs the risk of being generalised in your mind. So for example if you find yourself working with a Muslim do any negative associations and generalisations arise in your mind? Maybe so, but do you act on it and become hostile to this person without cause or do you see through your negative generalisation and allow yourself to see the person as a human being not as an object of hate?
We all generalise (a generalisation) but knowing when and why we do it is important, and to know its limits.
_________________
The Sun has risen and set for millennia. I saw the first sunrise and will see the last sunset. I am everything and nothing, witness to all; the ghost in the machine.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
carturo222
Polymath wannabe
Joined: Aug 04, 2008
Age: 25
Posts: 1137
Location: Colombia
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Generalizations |
|
|
Have a look at your own words, from a slightly closer perspective:
| Psimulus wrote: | | Why does it seem that a large proportion of our species is incapable of specificity? Most people I encounter often generalize wrecklesly. I post this because it occurs so frequently. I am not immune from this though It is my experience that I do this less often than many of the personalities I come into contact with. I have read before that this is part of our human programming. On a basic level this seems to make sense. Though it also seems that being aware of when we generalize can assist us in the deterance of many conflicts... |
Generalizing is inevitable. Our minds are wired to classify the world into categories to better make sense of it. All words are generalizations, ways to compartmentalize reality into manageable pieces. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Vexcalibur
Phoenix
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Posts: 627
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
All generalizations are wrong.
_________________
Mankind is not evil; itīs just misinformed ~ Charles Xavier |
|
| Back to top |
|
Psimulus
Sea Gull
Joined: Aug 23, 2008
Posts: 227
Location: Earth
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: Generalizations |
|
|
| carturo222 wrote: | Have a look at your own words, from a slightly closer perspective:
| Psimulus wrote: | | Why does it seem that a large proportion of our species is incapable of specificity? Most people I encounter often generalize wrecklesly. I post this because it occurs so frequently. I am not immune from this though It is my experience that I do this less often than many of the personalities I come into contact with. I have read before that this is part of our human programming. On a basic level this seems to make sense. Though it also seems that being aware of when we generalize can assist us in the deterance of many conflicts... |
Generalizing is inevitable. Our minds are wired to classify the world into categories to better make sense of it. All words are generalizations, ways to compartmentalize reality into manageable pieces. |
I was aware of almost every single generalization I was making. Thank you though for the critique  I could have worded this way if I were not paying attention - Why does it seem that our species is incapable of specificity? People I encounter generalize recklessly. I post this because it occurs all the time. I am not immune from this though. I do this less often than other people. I have read before that this is part of human programming. This makes sense. Being aware can assist in the deterence of conflict.
I suppose my main point was to highlight how often many of us are not aware of how we generalize. Again, I am not perfect either. Perfection is a relative term that is most probably impossible.
_________________
The infinite Universe is the divine essence. We are of the Universe. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Sand
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 2035
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| In dealing with a mass of data to generalize is to find some coherent form of response that can be relied upon to obtain uniform results. Nothing wrong with that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
NeantHumain
Phoenix
![]()
Joined: Jun 25, 2004
Posts: 3717
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I hate generalizations. |
|
| Back to top |
|
twoshots
Honorary Vertebrate
Joined: Nov 27, 2007
Posts: 2115
Location: NJ
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
People form heuristics and categories. It's a simple fact of reasoning. 
_________________
"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
-Winston Churchill |
|
| Back to top |
|
claire333
Huh?
Joined: Jun 20, 2008
Posts: 1893
Location: Lost in my own little world.
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| twoshots wrote: | | People form heuristics and categories. It's a simple fact of reasoning. |
Yeah, what he said...generally speaking... 
_________________
On with the show...This is it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
