[MIJB#19]

"Black people", "Italian-Americans", "Old ladies"

Any group of people can show annoying behavior in the eyes of another person. Regardless of hair color, skin color, color of their cloths, height, age, quantity of jewelry worn, number of testicles, neighborhood they used to live in, their family name, whether they have cats at home or which news paper their grand parents used to wrap around the fish.

Most human beings are struggling with, many are incompetent and some even unwilling to look past what they think they see on the outside. As a result they'll make scientifically unproven or incorrect correlations based on whatever seems to be a trend and then in their head use stereotypes as an excuse to distinguish themselves from the "others" or if it's in their advantage call them "us". (And I'm sure you'll find me doing both as well at times, despite my desire to not do so.)

That "us" part keeps stereotypes alive within groups of people as well. "We've since forever done this or that, it's our thing!" Many groups of people keep their own stereotypes and behavior going, without even knowing why they're doing it, they were (subconsciously) taught to maintain it that way.

I think it's impossible to teach everybody to look past what's on the outside entirely, and I think there can be a historically grown big difference in which stereotypes are sensitive and/or are meant in good fun. But I think it for the better if we at least try and it probably helps a lot to have leaders who make a good example.

Calling people black and white to me is downright wrong, we come in different shades, but none of us are black or white. Our DNA may be in 1s and 0s, but nobody is just a 1 or a 0.