Blog # 1

The book The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager by Thomas Hine was a very interesting book. The chapter that caught my attention the most was the last chapter Goths in Tomorrowland. This chapter explains stereotypes that are often seen in today's society as well in past history. People assume that people belong to a certain group because of what music they listen to but that is not true in my case. I am generally a normal person who likes shopping, clothes, working out. People say I am "preppy" , "jock", "snob", "nerd".. and so on. I listen to rock and roll and people don't believe me when I say that. Why cant somebody whose favorite color is pink listen to hard rock, and rock and roll? Is their something wrong with that? People are being judged based on their outer appearance when you should actually get to know somebody first. With the goths in Disney Land, they were being singled out just because of their looks when they just wanted to go out and have a good time and be with people who understand them! People are looked upon if they are different, but do we all really want to be the same? Opposites attract and unless you get to know somebody from a different "group" you will never know if that person would ever be your best friend or lover. I work at a clothing store at beachwood mall and we are taught in our training who to look for and who to ignore. We were taught that anybody, usually African American men, wearing sweatpants or have book bags were suspects! It makes me so mad that just because of a stereotype we have to single out certain people! Anybody can steal, maybe the people who walk into the store with their expensive suits and have money got their living from stealing. In my opinion stereotypes and groups are never going to end unless people get over the fact that everybody is different.

To end my statement, people should not judge by whats on the outside, or what type of clothing people wear, or even by the title that they are given, getting to know somebody is the only true way to know what type of person they are. These groups and clicks need to end, they are pointless in society.