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Why do we assume ?
Think about these things below and how we (generally) assume;
1) If someone is on these forum's they're male (unless name suggest not i.e Bubbly Babe)
2) If Microsoft make something it's aim is to destroy the competition.
3) If a car alarm goes off in a car park it's not really being stolen.
Just three examples of the way most of us assume things without knowing the real facts. We do the same when we see people. How you look affects what people think about you and how they act around you.
Shop security people do the same, they asess whether you're a potential shop lifter on your appearance and those around you. How many times have some of you gone into HMV or Game with acrowd of mates and noticed that you have the full attention of several staff ?
The problem is, our assumptions are usually wrong and this means what we do and say is probably wrong a lot of the time.
Look at my examples,
1) Obviously not true, I'd wager there are a fair number of females on this forum keeping quiet. Why ? Most poster's respond differently when they know someone is female. Look at some topics in FOG chat, those posted by females get hopelessly sidelined with idiot responses and stuff completely off topic, the best way to get around this would be to simply not make a point of saying "I'm a girl" (Or a woman, whichever).
2) Microsoft have strived for years to make their products easy to operate and of a high quality, yet they consstantly come under fire from users. Nothing is perfect and we all accept other software manufacturors imperfect work, why not Microsoft ? A lot of marketing people at Microsoft must really want to issue some pretty nasty press releases sometimes....
3) Why does anyone bother with a car alarm ? Does nyone pay any attention to them ? The reason for this assumption is that too many people have no clue about the car in the first place. When you've listened to a neighbours car sounding off for several nights in a rom you're pretty much inclined to ignore any alarm - apart from your own ! :)
Appearances; This is something so obviously wrong with a lot of us, if someone looks nice then we assume they are a nice person, if someone looks a bit different or strange we mostly assume they are.Ever since I started working whilst at University I've seen how wrong this is. My time at work is split between being on the tills (most boring thing ever) and wandering around looking for shoplifters e.t.c So far, the most nasty people, and abusive/threatening people, have been those who, if you looked at them, wouldn't suggest they were that kind of person. Another example is this old guy who whilst I was at school I used to see walk past me every morning. Because he walked a bit strange, always looked down and had funny looking long white hair I, and my mates, assumed him to be a bit weird. Now, at work, I see him most Saturdays to talk to, and he's no different from most of us, just a bit lonely.
The problem is this. We have to know people better to destroy assumptions but in the society we've created strangers are assumed a threat in someway or another. I've seen it at both universities I was at. We've built up so many prejudices and assumptions that getting to know people has degenerated into who looks nicest to the opposite sex most of the time. We're not really generally interested in who someone is and what they're like and what they have to say......though this is one thing where the internet has broken some barriers down.
So, whadya think ? True, or me being a pessimistic person :)
~~Belldandy~~
Think about these things below and how we (generally) assume;
1) If someone is on these forum's they're male (unless name suggest not i.e Bubbly Babe)
2) If Microsoft make something it's aim is to destroy the competition.
3) If a car alarm goes off in a car park it's not really being stolen.
Just three examples of the way most of us assume things without knowing the real facts. We do the same when we see people. How you look affects what people think about you and how they act around you.
Shop security people do the same, they asess whether you're a potential shop lifter on your appearance and those around you. How many times have some of you gone into HMV or Game with acrowd of mates and noticed that you have the full attention of several staff ?
The problem is, our assumptions are usually wrong and this means what we do and say is probably wrong a lot of the time.
Look at my examples,
1) Obviously not true, I'd wager there are a fair number of females on this forum keeping quiet. Why ? Most poster's respond differently when they know someone is female. Look at some topics in FOG chat, those posted by females get hopelessly sidelined with idiot responses and stuff completely off topic, the best way to get around this would be to simply not make a point of saying "I'm a girl" (Or a woman, whichever).
2) Microsoft have strived for years to make their products easy to operate and of a high quality, yet they consstantly come under fire from users. Nothing is perfect and we all accept other software manufacturors imperfect work, why not Microsoft ? A lot of marketing people at Microsoft must really want to issue some pretty nasty press releases sometimes....
3) Why does anyone bother with a car alarm ? Does nyone pay any attention to them ? The reason for this assumption is that too many people have no clue about the car in the first place. When you've listened to a neighbours car sounding off for several nights in a rom you're pretty much inclined to ignore any alarm - apart from your own ! :)
Appearances; This is something so obviously wrong with a lot of us, if someone looks nice then we assume they are a nice person, if someone looks a bit different or strange we mostly assume they are.Ever since I started working whilst at University I've seen how wrong this is. My time at work is split between being on the tills (most boring thing ever) and wandering around looking for shoplifters e.t.c So far, the most nasty people, and abusive/threatening people, have been those who, if you looked at them, wouldn't suggest they were that kind of person. Another example is this old guy who whilst I was at school I used to see walk past me every morning. Because he walked a bit strange, always looked down and had funny looking long white hair I, and my mates, assumed him to be a bit weird. Now, at work, I see him most Saturdays to talk to, and he's no different from most of us, just a bit lonely.
The problem is this. We have to know people better to destroy assumptions but in the society we've created strangers are assumed a threat in someway or another. I've seen it at both universities I was at. We've built up so many prejudices and assumptions that getting to know people has degenerated into who looks nicest to the opposite sex most of the time. We're not really generally interested in who someone is and what they're like and what they have to say......though this is one thing where the internet has broken some barriers down.
So, whadya think ? True, or me being a pessimistic person :)
~~Belldandy~~
When there are so many books in the world, eventually you have to start judgeing them by thier covers.
We make generalisations and stereotypes so we don't go mad, pure and simple. If we went to investigate every alarm, tried to comprehend everyone in the room and look into everything we dismiss the pace of human life would be both incredibly slow and far to complex to remember everything.
Though your points, as always, are interessting.
Though your points, as always, are interessting.
SHEEPY wrote:
> Great post and agree with everything.
yep
> Great post and agree with everything.
yep
Great post and agree with everything.
I do all the 3 things you mentioned and usually naturally I judge somebody on their looks, clothes, tone of voice etc... I've tried to stop this year when I've kinda been forced to talk to people which I thought I wouldn't like but now I actually do.
I always think because I never talk about boring stuff like... clothes, whos going out with who, see what was on TV last night... that I am always quiet people assume I have nothing to say when in reality I'm sure I think more than anyone there.
Yep
I do all the 3 things you mentioned and usually naturally I judge somebody on their looks, clothes, tone of voice etc... I've tried to stop this year when I've kinda been forced to talk to people which I thought I wouldn't like but now I actually do.
I always think because I never talk about boring stuff like... clothes, whos going out with who, see what was on TV last night... that I am always quiet people assume I have nothing to say when in reality I'm sure I think more than anyone there.
Yep
Nottingham Trent, I don't go back for another week yet and I've been off since 13th May ! Yay :)
~~Belldandy~~
~~Belldandy~~
Making assumptions is just part of human nature, and thiking about your first one, assumptions about individuals are likely to be much more prevalent on a chatforum, where opinions and perceptions are formed differently than if we met people face to face, and words can often be mis-intepreted without a facial expression or tone of voice to accompany it.
On a side note Belldandy, what university you at?
On a side note Belldandy, what university you at?
Why do we assume ?
Think about these things below and how we (generally) assume;
1) If someone is on these forum's they're male (unless name suggest not i.e Bubbly Babe)
2) If Microsoft make something it's aim is to destroy the competition.
3) If a car alarm goes off in a car park it's not really being stolen.
Just three examples of the way most of us assume things without knowing the real facts. We do the same when we see people. How you look affects what people think about you and how they act around you.
Shop security people do the same, they asess whether you're a potential shop lifter on your appearance and those around you. How many times have some of you gone into HMV or Game with acrowd of mates and noticed that you have the full attention of several staff ?
The problem is, our assumptions are usually wrong and this means what we do and say is probably wrong a lot of the time.
Look at my examples,
1) Obviously not true, I'd wager there are a fair number of females on this forum keeping quiet. Why ? Most poster's respond differently when they know someone is female. Look at some topics in FOG chat, those posted by females get hopelessly sidelined with idiot responses and stuff completely off topic, the best way to get around this would be to simply not make a point of saying "I'm a girl" (Or a woman, whichever).
2) Microsoft have strived for years to make their products easy to operate and of a high quality, yet they consstantly come under fire from users. Nothing is perfect and we all accept other software manufacturors imperfect work, why not Microsoft ? A lot of marketing people at Microsoft must really want to issue some pretty nasty press releases sometimes....
3) Why does anyone bother with a car alarm ? Does nyone pay any attention to them ? The reason for this assumption is that too many people have no clue about the car in the first place. When you've listened to a neighbours car sounding off for several nights in a rom you're pretty much inclined to ignore any alarm - apart from your own ! :)
Appearances; This is something so obviously wrong with a lot of us, if someone looks nice then we assume they are a nice person, if someone looks a bit different or strange we mostly assume they are.Ever since I started working whilst at University I've seen how wrong this is. My time at work is split between being on the tills (most boring thing ever) and wandering around looking for shoplifters e.t.c So far, the most nasty people, and abusive/threatening people, have been those who, if you looked at them, wouldn't suggest they were that kind of person. Another example is this old guy who whilst I was at school I used to see walk past me every morning. Because he walked a bit strange, always looked down and had funny looking long white hair I, and my mates, assumed him to be a bit weird. Now, at work, I see him most Saturdays to talk to, and he's no different from most of us, just a bit lonely.
The problem is this. We have to know people better to destroy assumptions but in the society we've created strangers are assumed a threat in someway or another. I've seen it at both universities I was at. We've built up so many prejudices and assumptions that getting to know people has degenerated into who looks nicest to the opposite sex most of the time. We're not really generally interested in who someone is and what they're like and what they have to say......though this is one thing where the internet has broken some barriers down.
So, whadya think ? True, or me being a pessimistic person :)
~~Belldandy~~
Think about these things below and how we (generally) assume;
1) If someone is on these forum's they're male (unless name suggest not i.e Bubbly Babe)
2) If Microsoft make something it's aim is to destroy the competition.
3) If a car alarm goes off in a car park it's not really being stolen.
Just three examples of the way most of us assume things without knowing the real facts. We do the same when we see people. How you look affects what people think about you and how they act around you.
Shop security people do the same, they asess whether you're a potential shop lifter on your appearance and those around you. How many times have some of you gone into HMV or Game with acrowd of mates and noticed that you have the full attention of several staff ?
The problem is, our assumptions are usually wrong and this means what we do and say is probably wrong a lot of the time.
Look at my examples,
1) Obviously not true, I'd wager there are a fair number of females on this forum keeping quiet. Why ? Most poster's respond differently when they know someone is female. Look at some topics in FOG chat, those posted by females get hopelessly sidelined with idiot responses and stuff completely off topic, the best way to get around this would be to simply not make a point of saying "I'm a girl" (Or a woman, whichever).
2) Microsoft have strived for years to make their products easy to operate and of a high quality, yet they consstantly come under fire from users. Nothing is perfect and we all accept other software manufacturors imperfect work, why not Microsoft ? A lot of marketing people at Microsoft must really want to issue some pretty nasty press releases sometimes....
3) Why does anyone bother with a car alarm ? Does nyone pay any attention to them ? The reason for this assumption is that too many people have no clue about the car in the first place. When you've listened to a neighbours car sounding off for several nights in a rom you're pretty much inclined to ignore any alarm - apart from your own ! :)
Appearances; This is something so obviously wrong with a lot of us, if someone looks nice then we assume they are a nice person, if someone looks a bit different or strange we mostly assume they are.Ever since I started working whilst at University I've seen how wrong this is. My time at work is split between being on the tills (most boring thing ever) and wandering around looking for shoplifters e.t.c So far, the most nasty people, and abusive/threatening people, have been those who, if you looked at them, wouldn't suggest they were that kind of person. Another example is this old guy who whilst I was at school I used to see walk past me every morning. Because he walked a bit strange, always looked down and had funny looking long white hair I, and my mates, assumed him to be a bit weird. Now, at work, I see him most Saturdays to talk to, and he's no different from most of us, just a bit lonely.
The problem is this. We have to know people better to destroy assumptions but in the society we've created strangers are assumed a threat in someway or another. I've seen it at both universities I was at. We've built up so many prejudices and assumptions that getting to know people has degenerated into who looks nicest to the opposite sex most of the time. We're not really generally interested in who someone is and what they're like and what they have to say......though this is one thing where the internet has broken some barriers down.
So, whadya think ? True, or me being a pessimistic person :)
~~Belldandy~~