Monday, February 4, 2013

The Loser isn't Racist, but ...

The Complete and Total Loser isn't racist if you go by the best definition of racism he's read, which is assuming someone can't do something as well as someone else due to his or her race. 
But.
If you equate stereotyping with racism, give the Loser a white sheet to wear. 
Is stereotyping so bad, though? We all do it. You meet a guy who dresses a certain way and drives a certain car and you can often assume what political party he belongs to, and you'll judge him by that, to an extent, as surely as you would someone dressed as a priest, nun or doctor. The Asian in a saffron robe will be wise and speak in meaningful riddles. The bespectacled woman in the crisp suit with her hair pulled back and carrying a briefcase will be businesslike. 
The problem the Loser has with people who shame others for stereotyping is that they have no problem doing it themselves if the stereotype is a good one, even though it's the negative stereotypes make sense. We've evolved to fear animals with fangs or sharp horns, and that's to our credit. It helped us survive. 
The man in this picture? Most likely, he's a decent guy on a cold day, just heading for a warm place. Nothing wrong with that. But if you were about to head down a dark alley and you saw him halfway up it heading your way, the Loser would bet that you'd forgo the shortcut and walk to a busy intersection. 
The Loser likes to think he knows the important thing about stereotypes, which is that they should be abandoned immediately when you get evidence they don't apply.

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