Stereo Types

[Cheep]

There is far too much of it at my school. When I moved to it last year, I couldn't tell people appart, and quite frankly i can't this year either. Everyone looks the same, acts the same, has the same haircut ans clothes, thins the same... No one seems to have an opinion. People are afraid of me. A girl who speaks proper Engish, has short hair, wears loose clothing that covers most of me, doesn't care about having a boyfriend at 12 years of age, has different views and opinions than everyone else, plays video games, is intelligent, and doesn't obsess about her appearance. I'm starting to wonder if they're just too stupid. My English class didn't know what a verb was... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_disapprove.gif
The school is also sending me mixed messages. An African American fellow came to speak to us at my school. He told us not be be stereo types, be proto types while he rapped and called everyone brother and sister. The school is also segregated on these grounds of race. Something I really don't like. I only have a few friends of a different race.
What are your views on this? Would you say you follow a stereo type? If you are in school what is it like there?




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Cheep on 2004-01-10 04:15 ]</font>

[Arislan]

Don't be a Stereotype, be a proto-type? That's great!

In any case, in Middle School, however fuzzy that was, I was one of the hyper geeks, and deserved the label. Heck, in 8th Grade, I was only in class for about 25% of the time (not including PE, darned teacher not letting me out) due to the fact that I was creating a School District-wide Internet policy for the brand new net capable computers we'd gotten. My time outside of school was generally spent at the computer lab at school playing Bolo or Armor Alley on the Mac against other friends, or else at home playing video games.

High School came around, and Freshman year was about the same. Beginning of Sophomore year came around and I met a girl that taught me that having an emotionless mask is a *bad* thing, and that you can't look good while having fun. After that, I pulled my head out of my ass, socialized a lot more, and by the end of high school, had friends in every sector of the stereotypes. Everyone from the Student Council President to the average band geek knew of me and considered me at least an acquaintance, and I've had a knack for avoiding inter-clique scuffles, leaving me friends with people on both sides without scorching me.

So, no, I can't really say I fit a stereotype at this point in my life... I'm an extremely varied person, and fully capable of adapting to any group set I may find myself in. However, that doesn't mean that I'm any fun at parties. I'm a people watcher at heart still.

[Ness]

There will always be conformist and nonconformist wherever you go. Personally, I like to ridicule both groups because trying to be different is just as bad as trying to be the same.

[KaFKa]

back in middle school... thats a while ago, but i'll give it a shot...

back in middle school i was still the antisocial kid that never got noticed. so, from what i saw, everybody was the same, and they all thought that being like each other was the 'thing' to do. personally, i laughed at that sentiment. (it was actually the cause of a couple of fights as well) so yeah, thats what middle school was...

now high shool, theres a serious diference between the two (at least in my eyes because of personal reasons i care not to explain) all i can say is to just watch who you're socializing with when you get to high school.

[Kizaragu]

You laugh at me for being different.
I laugh at you for all being the same.
I love that quote.
Like someone else previousely stated, deliberately being different is just as bad as following the crowd.

In short, Just be yourself.

[Allos]

In early Middle school I was one of the nerds. I wasn't anti-social, but I was dreadfully shy. That's the way it was for half of middle school. But in 8th grade puberty really started to kick in. My voice deepened, facial hair appeared, and I was much taller than any of my friends. Because of all this I was no longer labled a nerd by the others. But some of my shyness has stayed in me in high school (which keeps me from being a true "popular" kid). That and the fact that a few (but not all) of my friends are goofy lookin. But you know what? I don't care. If the morons at school judge you based on looks, fuck em*.




*Although my looks do seem to attract the hotties. Hee hee hee....



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Allos on 2004-01-10 09:32 ]</font>

[The_Pew]

I don't think I follow a stereo type. Im 17, I don't really care what others think about me. I have different opinions on mostly everything. Im friends with everyone in my school, I don't have to many enemies. Im not to gewd at reading or writing, but Im gewd at mathematics, drawing, programing, architecture, cooking and other very pointless things.

My school is mostly made up of gang bangers and geeks, and I fit sum where in between those two.

[ERS]

That's one fucked up school.

[_Ted_]

On 2004-01-10 12:46, The_Pew wrote:


My school is mostly made up of gang bangers and geeks, and I fit sum where in between those two.



Complete opposite ends of the spectrum huh? At least you have a large area to fit into.

[Cheep]

On 2004-01-10 15:04, ERS wrote:
That's one fucked up school.


You have no idea...

[Mixfortune]

On 2004-01-10 09:16, Kizaragu wrote:

In short, Just be yourself.



But that IS themself.
Pretending either way to be different on purpose or be the same on purpose is just as much an action of decisions based on who they are and what they have experienced as anything else.

[Guille]

My class? I dunno. My friends were I guess what you'd call "preps", but I was always in my own little "class." You know, the complete nutcase/ladie's man class...Freaky, huh?

[Sord]

I don't think there is a stareo type for a middle schooler who is obsessed with physics, hates watching all sports, except video games (they are to a sport!) constantly rebels against his teachers and get the kids to join, yet gets the principle on his side, is slightly mentally unstable, has mood swings, can't spell but can read an 800pg novel in a day, and a bunch of other shit.

[Zzzzzz]

Middle school? just graduated from it last year. I got
the highest grades in class. Boy, it was....
Ha haha hee hee.
...............................I hated it.
Especailly since I didn't have much friends. I was wierd to them since I was "different"
and didn't follow the "cool kids" every whim.

[Scejntjynahl]

Middle School? Junior High? High School? I was a loner, and I chose to be... I never enjoyed neither of these three levels of school. I got tired of seen that it was more like a meeting place than a place for education. I just went to class, took notes, went to other class, took more notes... etc etc for all 12 years. Frankly, I only met my friends after school, never during... kept to myself and that was just fine with me.

But I did notice the social stratification that was created withing the school walls, which were all funny to me... because in the end... it doesnt matter at all. Popularity did not guarantee an optimistic future... and segregation withing ethnic groups only created narrow mindness even into adult hood...

Schools are just a way for parents to drop off kids and have somenone else watch them while they work (or do their own thing), because if it is education that they are hoping for, they better keep hoping, because it is not happening....

[opaopajr]

*yawn* jr. high kids, the pre-teen dynamic, is notorious for conformist behaviors. in fact several child psychology studies are working on why there is such a need for this at this age. the answers they are coming up with is very interesting...

well, never mind. on a more relevant note just think that even though every other thing feels like the end of the world, it usually is! er, i mean is not! yeah, is not!

usually i don't quote much scripture being a godless amoral heathen destined to go to hell for everlasting damnation (or at least that's what the signs say held up by religious folk as i go to parties), but:

"...remember, this too shall pass." -ecclesiasticus

PS: someone double check my scripture quotation - might be ecclesiastes or psalms instead.

[AzureBlaze]

Yes Cheep, they are too stupid.

Curious though, that they started at age 12. I guess they're dumbing down earlier these days. But whatever you do, it is the MOST important thing you can do, is --Don't let them dumb you down!--

Do follow a bit of a trend with clothing AKA: do not wear pocket-protectors and propeller beenies, but looking like a tart won't get you anywhere either. You don't need a BF/GF now, if ever. Keep on talking correctly, in the future no one will respect the people who can't use their own language properly.

You've already got something going for you: you still have friends. These are what you need. It doesn't matter their race (so long as other members of their race, be it different from yours do not go after you for being their friend--there are racists of every color, black white and tannish-asian and they're all ready to bring the hate to anyone different)

You see, there is a special varient of hell, and it is when you can be in a crowd of people, and be completely alone. It is when you can go for weeks without speaking and no one cares. It is when you hide to eat your food, it is when you never see other people's eyes, it is when being seen means pain, it is what can truly alter your personality if you live in it for too long.

Be careful. Keep your friends to you, do all that you can. Keep being yourself, this won't last forever, and you'll come out of it ahead of all of them. That you posted the first message means you care enuff to keep being good.

[KaFKa]

On 2004-01-11 21:49, AzureBlaze wrote:

You see, there is a special varient of hell, and it is when you can be in a crowd of people, and be completely alone. It is when you can go for weeks without speaking and no one cares. It is when you hide to eat your food, it is when you never see other people's eyes, it is when being seen means pain, it is what can truly alter your personality if you live in it for too long.

amen to that...