how dare you not have pride

[DesignFox]

<snip>
*ANY* salesperson worth a darn uses sterotyping, it's the easiest way to make sales...You look at a person, and based on what you see, you change how you talk with them...and modify it based on what you notice talking to them. Without any sterotyping, you'd give the exact same speech to everyone...and lose a good third of your sales.

People have FAR too many things about them that need to be 'discovered' to limit yourself to not making any assumptions...Just realize they ARE only guesses, and treat them as such.

Bingo.

Hate to say it, but being in sales, you almost have to learn to judge a person on first impression. You end up wasting inordinate amounts of time (and therefore, potentially losing sales) if you can't.

That's not to say that you don't give a person an opening to prove you wrong. There are some people who look like they won't be a sale at all, who are the best customers you'll ever have.

Still-
There are certain types of people I've learned through experience that aren't worth my time. I always always give them the opening to prove me wrong. But when I'm right 99.9% of the time- I know better than to spend hours and hours trying to land that sale...I've lost sales to co-workers, or to customers walking by wasting time with a stereotypical non-sale.

In this field, it isn't necessarily right, and of course, we learn lessons when we are wrong- but it's a necessary evil. You can't treat all your customers exactly the same way, and some people just AREN'T worth the time.

Anyway-
I think the difference between a "racist" and the rest of us is that we can change our opinions and alter our actions. We can let people prove us wrong and not let our stereotypes and prejudices rule our thoughts and our actions.

So Smiley- I may not go about things the same way you would, but I see what you're saying, and I don't think there's any harm in that.

[Sylvia727]

Everybody stereotypes, some people are just more honest than others. If you're aware of your thoughts, you can make an effort to overcome them, or in my case to continuously update and correct them. People dress a certain way because they have certain interests. People with a certain accent come from certain cultures. A guy in black bondage pants probably knows some good metal bands; a girl with Gucci accessories can probably give me directions to the mall. (Not that I'd recognize a Gucci purse if you hit me over the head with it and said Look, this is Gucci.)

Say I'm walking down an empty street at night, and there's a guy coming towards me. He's in his twenties, wearing baggy clothes, slouching posture, loitering gait like he's got nothing better to do than hang out on a dark, empty street. I'm going to steer clear of this guy. Sure, he could just be waiting for a friend to get off work. Maybe we'd become friends if I struck up a conversation. Maybe he's my soulmate sent down from the heavens to show me True Love. Odds are, though, that's he up to no good, and since I don't want any trouble I'm going to stay away and aware. Stereotype? Yes. Basic safety precaution? Yes. Apologize? Hell no.

[Saydrah]

Hey Smiley, my best friend has a good response to that kind of jerkishness from others:

"I am so thankful for the work of early gay rights activists. Things like gay pride parades are what has made it so that I can be gay and work without constant fear of losing my job or being murdered for my orientation. Another right obtained through the work of those activists was the right to my privacy: My sexual orientation doesn't have to be anybody's business but mine thanks to them, and one way I express my right to privacy is by not attending events that not only don't interest me, but which expect me to be the very opposite of private about my personal life. I'm honoring the proud gay men who came before me by exercising the rights they obtained for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do."

[DesignFox]

Say I'm walking down an empty street at night, and there's a guy coming towards me. He's in his twenties, wearing baggy clothes, slouching posture, loitering gait like he's got nothing better to do than hang out on a dark, empty street. I'm going to steer clear of this guy. Sure, he could just be waiting for a friend to get off work. Maybe we'd become friends if I struck up a conversation. Maybe he's my soulmate sent down from the heavens to show me True Love. Odds are, though, that's he up to no good, and since I don't want any trouble I'm going to stay away and aware. Stereotype? Yes. Basic safety precaution? Yes. Apologize? Hell no.

This is an additional point I would liked to have made but couldn't put words together for.

[AFPheonix]

Everybody stereotypes, some people are just more honest than others. If you're aware of your thoughts, you can make an effort to overcome them, or in my case to continuously update and correct them. People dress a certain way because they have certain interests. People with a certain accent come from certain cultures. A guy in black bondage pants probably knows some good metal bands;

Ha ha ha ha ha!

[anriana]

There is a large difference between stereotyping someone based on the clothes/accessories they're wearing/what time of day they go for walks/their profession and stereotyping someone based on race/country of origin/sexual orientation.

[Boozy]

There is a large difference between stereotyping someone based on the clothes/accessories they're wearing/what time of day they go for walks/their profession and stereotyping someone based on race/country of origin/sexual orientation.

I agree. Those first things are choices the person has made, and speak to their personality. The last things are no choice at all. You can't make any inferences into someone's character based on things they have no control over.

[smileyeagle1021]

not to resurect a dead thread, but just had something today that reminded me of this thread.

I was just informed that I am not truly out until I get an equal sign for my car.

it get's better... I had someone question my sexuality because I don't like man bags, don't like flip flops, and don't wear designer brand anything... I miss having people question my heterosexuality because I didn't like football... at least then they were right (not for that reason... but still)... now I've got to deal with people question whether or not I'm truly gay (apparently getting aroused by the site of other guys naked and wanting to have sex with them isn't enough anymore).

[Slytovhand]

sorry, but...

Bwahahahahahaha!

[Sylvia727]

So...if you're not Jack McFarlane (from Will & Grace) then you're not gay? And if you are flamingly flamboyent, then you are gay? I'll have to remember that. The next time I see two guys making out, I'll check their footwear and issue a citation if they're improperly dressed.

[AdminAssistant]

Not to mention the fact that some straight people have equality bumper stickers on their cars. hm.