Benevolence to all
When we were newly married, my now ex-wife used to tell me she preferred me raving mad and ranting than quiet. It was not an easy way for us, as by nature I like to observe and analyse while she is the opposite. Many a times, she could haul me to the wall and there I would be trapped for hours until some truce was arrived at. Whenever she wanted some urgent answer, she would often instigate a fight. Striking the iron when it's hot was her modus operandi.
As a result, I had learnt to look out for her qualities amongst her friends and companions, and often adjusted my "act" relative to the closeness with my partner's archetype. Even the house girls did not escape my categorisation into "moody" or "fighter" or "merry" or some other term. Inwardly, I had stereotyped my partner- and a few of her friends as termagants. And as much as I wanted to avoid the prejudices, I was practicing it first hand right at home. That was me then.
It is interesting how we stereotype people even before we get to know them. We unwillingly cluster people into groups that describe their situations and positions in life, as a way of easing the protocols of dealing with them. Unconsciously, we seek to modulate them into bits that our receptors can transmit to our brain and interpret every word, poise, act, pause, look and draw that they effect.
I once worked as a contract liaison official with a government agency although I ranked higher than some of the civil servants, and the roles were reversed. From the tea girl through the pool copy typists to the section head, I was "that guy on contract" for the initial three months until the program was revised and they had to pay homage. The tea girl who previously could not see me as she served tea became a jovial mate who brought me a cuppa even during lunchtime. The copy typists who previously could not remember my name or read my "scribbling" started competing on who was to be attached to me fulltime. Ranked civil servants who previously treated me like the messenger/courier rapidly metamorphosed to "workmates" and soon I was a favourite in accompanying them to the mess. And my superior? I became his personal assistant-cum-favourite son. I became part of the family overnight as soon as funding was ratified.
Oh no! Here I am labelling them. Am I any different from them? Or you?
Stereotyping is exhaustively almost a call of nature as it can be active (objective), passive (subjective) and inanimate. We actively stereotype others when we detach from them and portray them as "the other" often without true to type characteristics that we perceive in them. On the other hand, not one individual [or group] has actively drawn one[it]self to a "specialist" class by refusing to mingle in and opt for lone ranger approach. In such cases, refusal to stereotype with the norm end up standing out of character. And it is from this variant that the third form- literally a mould- is derived.
And so, the "mould" that the stereotyped "guys from the agency" do attracts mirth and derision. Those tasked to help integrate into the system the "agency partemps" see the nerve to harp on as they derive their long work duration and duty experience, forgetting they had started just on the very workbench. To crown their birthright at work, the duties assigned the "partemps" are classed poor even after they have been performed. The "permanents" look in shock and sorrow at the shoddy work, very verbally enumerating the failed pieces in the production line or the poor show of stacking the boxes in the warehouse.
Stereotyping arises from the misconception by some who feel they are more equal than others. It is expected, as there are as many grades as there are people and their qualifications and experience portfolios, clearly reflected in the salaried and waged workers, which certainly determines the behaviour and attitudes portrayed.
Although it is only human to categorise or compartment, it is not human to sanitise those who do not conform just out of opinion. How fast and often we forget that not long ago we were the black sheep when we started in the new loci.
Any new entrant comes to disturb the organised and entrenched group; and like it or not has to learn the ropes by trial and error. Like taking the seat reserved covetously by the "leader" of the gang on your first day at the mess; or erroneously donning the lab coat of the chief technician when you are the intern; or parking your motor at the unmarked director's slot. Even the order of flocking to the gents' is almost programmed, and the monkeys have to follow the leader.
