Stereotypes and Prejudice

One of the things that thoroughly befuddles me is how people can believe that promulgating stereotypes does not promulgate prejudice.

"I've been in lots of countries and it seems to me that the stereotypes of those places was true, so they're not about prejudice."

"Oh, I wasn't saying that people who are into math have no personality, just that I thought people who went to this college were into math and had no personality."

"Jews were all rich money lenders, so it is natural that people should think that they were greedy."

"Germans are violent."

"Stereotypes have to come from somewhere!"

Stereotypes are the foundation of prejudice. "I am against this group because they _____." How is that not just a stereotype with the addition of being against added to it?

*sigh*

And when I am confronted with a stereotype, I am supposed to shut my eyes and my mouth and ignore it.

Right.

Josh Shaine