A brief essay on stereotypes

Human society - the conglomerate of individuals, has evolved to the point at which it has forged a handful of stereotypes. They "dictate" the behaviour of the 21st century human race, through communication channels such as the new media (Internet). Of these "role-models" I shall enumerate three: the Soldier, the Thinker and the Outcast.

The most violent and imposing of all, is the Soldier. Who/ what is this stereotype about? An offshoot of the Rebel, the soldier spreads forth the powerful presence of Justice - be it fair or unfair. "It" possesses not knowledge but blind ambition. At a more sophisticated level, a Soldier has one opinion, which is the best and he attempts to promote it, in his social group, as the only valuable one. Examples can be seen throughout society, ranging from the omnipotent action-hero to the lesser bully.

The opposite end of the spectrum is represented by the Thinker. Every movie has one: the person with the Idea, the Solution and, why not, the Lab Coat. This stereotype promotes the assimilation of information and withdrawal from any form of conflict, mainly because "it" is the downgrade of the Genius. At a more particular level, the Thinker accepts the opinions of many but, after an elaborate period of thinking, spews out only one. The stereotype can be observed in any form of media that features a large group of people [friends], especially teen movies.

As a sole bearer of the hybris, the Outcast has been expelled from society. This happens due to the inability of becoming one of the aforementioned stereotypes. "It" harbors both the solitude of the Genius and the ignorance of the Rebel. As such, "it" cannot bear an opinion (no one is willing to listen or they are too dumb to listen). Movies like Domino or Waterworld illustrate perfectly the position of the Outcast with respect to the Society.

To sum up, modern day society has provided us with three choices: we can choose to impose ourselves, to seek refuge in thought or to leave it altogether. The path we choose depends solely upon us.

The the

Yet another brief excerpt from my twisted mind:

The road not taken.
The time wasted.
The sights seen.
The pictures taken.
The world not understood.
The opportunities not grasped.
The bad things done.
The good things done.
The projects accomplished.
The art created.
The mind is one. Use it wisely. Let it slip once in a while. But once slipped off the edge, don't forget to come back to reality.