We are inspired by Alderfer’s “A Theory of Human Motivation”
Through life, humans collect volumes of assumptions and stereotypes learned through education and personal experience.
It is literally impossible not to make assumptions or form preconceived conceptions. Stereotypes are survival mechanisms people utilize to make quick decisions.
Can you imagine the chaos if we stopped making assumptions …
- to research every minute decision?
- to re-learn how to act every minute on the fly?
- to examine the legitimacy of every instinct
AND live a normal life?
Survival of the species depends upon instant access to past learned experiences. Assumptions form so we may make decisions based upon what worked in the past.
- Duck and run for cover
- Grab that last slice of pizza before that other guy
- Size up a situation
Assumptions and stereotypes are things which depend upon amount and degree of pre-learned Bull Spit picked up as we age and hopefully learn.
- Good
- Bad
- Ugly
Assume the day will be a good one. The odds of anything going bad on a sunny day, blue sky and warm breeze…a paranoid stereotypical horror story
Stereotyping fast-tracks response time, but both assists and interferes with interpersonal and community, social interactions.
Paraphrase Maslow: The function of education is to neutralize apparent dangers through knowledge.
- “I am not afraid of thunder because I know something about thunder”
Lightening, on the other hand…one one-thousand…two one-thousand…
Assumptions
“Wethern’s Law of Suspended Judgement: assumption is the mother of all screwups.“ —Mark Mills, The Information Officer (2010).
Assumption: the belief that something is true based on tenuous or no evidence. To take something for granted or expect something without consideration of evidence.
Stories, folklore, myths & legends, movies, TV and videos all ascribe assumed qualities and characteristics to create assumptions and reinforce stereotypes.
Assumptions are stored in memory as stereotypes along side associated thoughts and memories. Once the notion settled in, we go into auto pilot until a bona fide V8 forehead slap paradigm shift occurs.
Assumptions are everywhere, in everything we do, say and think every single moment of the day.
We say, it’s OK to assume. It is OK to stereotype. It’s natural.
Stereotypes R-US
Stereotype: neutral, positive or negative, oversimplified images and ideas represent simplified and standardized conceptions.
Common Stereotypes
Ya, the crazy train. The pot stirs. The unanswerable, unsolvable questions and issues so necessary for (all of the above) to challenge the status quo and trigger hot buttons which rile up the natives, loosen wallets and create hate and discontent.
The divisive targeting of synergetic marketing doesn’t stop at the big 10.
Humans naturally create assumptions and stereotypes about literally everything and anything, therefore literally anything and everything is under constant bombardment by government, media, Internet, TV, radio, books, advertising, movies, film industry, type casting, sound track, wardrobe, music, simplistic plots, formula stories, ideologically packed, homogenized casting…
Wicked Issues
Wicked Problems are issues without or have little possibility of easy resolution.
Wicked Question reveal a cacophony of potential new problems which in turn release a torrent of new wicked questions.
Past, Current and Future Questions
- Adoption
- Sex
- Marriage
- Men
- Children
- Women
- Abortion
- Religion
- Race
- Politics
