A Stereotyped World | Teen Ink

A Stereotyped World

September 27, 2011
By bollywoodoldie BRONZE, Highland Village, Texas
bollywoodoldie BRONZE, Highland Village, Texas
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

In this magnificent planet, there are over a billion people, who are all here to live, to fulfill a purpose. Then, while living on Earth, these people have to learn to get along. That alone being a hard aspect of human survival, people have wars and genocides to try and release this anger of having to be thoughtful of others. Through this anger, that is when others began to pick a label for populations to wear. Everywhere, there is a little lazy person who can’t seem to do the right thing, and that one person leads to stereotyping for the entire community. But, there is a stereotype in the fact about which ones are noted and talked about. So, due to an error on the world agenda, we need to talk about Indians.

Indians are stereotyped. Apparently, there are two types of Indians; the Americanized, and the Desinized. The Americanized are the “bad” bunch, with the secret boyfriends, low cut shirts, the American kiss-butts, and use crude language all the time. The Desi, however, are all out traditional who make A’s in every class, and have that thick nerdy Indian accent.

Many people, especially Americans, are oblivious to how their Indian friends are stereotyped. But even they seem to have this idea that every Indian is from Calcutta; the all-out South Indian. THAT IS NOT THE CASE!! Enter me, a Punjabi from North India who doesn’t have an Indian accent yet makes mostly A’s. What does that make me??? Am I a Desi, or “bad” Americanized girl?? I loathe the fact that smart Indians can only be friends with other smart Indians because otherwise “what will your parents say”. Or the fact that Indians can’t be fashionable, because what they wear is too “American”. Why do all Indians have to have a label? Not everyone is Hindu and not everyone that is “Americanized” forgets his or her roots of origin. If everyone in America is said to be a different individual who has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, then why do I not get my pursuit of happiness because of this aggressive worldwide stereotyping!

Throughout most of my life, I had seen this occurrence. If an Indian girl is with her Indian friends, the other cliques merge the two people together. Apparently all of the Indians look alike?? This is the worst stereotype possible! I mean, just because you are Indian and friends with one doesn’t mean the two look alike. Most of the time when with my Indian friends, I am asked if they are my sisters, because “we look so alike”. How is it that all Indians look alike if everyone has a different fingerprint? Being lazy enough to stereotype Indian people really is showing how the world of today is turning out.

Throughout time, the world has categorized everyone into a label; something that helps recognizes the growing Indian population. As a result, the mindless population of the world ignores the message that despite all somewhat similar Indian cultures, every individual Indian is different and that is what needing to be respected in society.

The author's comments:
It is something I feel people don't realize because many don't think it is an issue.... I am Indian so I can relate...

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