800 word sample – Term Paper

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Most often are times when an individual gets judged and conclusions made because of the physical traits that lead to misconceptions. People do not take a chance to understand a person but rather draw conclusions on the grounds of appearance, physical attributes, race or color (Kirszner and Mandell 319). The mistaking of individuals can be the form of a positive trait or a negative trait. People get misjudged for being good while spending time with them shows otherwise. Some people are perceived as bad only to realize the opposite after spending time together. The misperception is a common trait that manifests in many people who opt to judge people based on their physical characteristics. This manifests in the form of race, gender, appearance or even dressing. The character in “The Gayest” story by Brett Krutzsch also demonstrates that sexual orientation can also be a basis for discrimination by people (Kirszner and Mandell 317). Such stereotypes are usually prejudicial and ill-informed as depicted in the experience below.

I understood how misperception and stereotyping could bring adverse effects during the holidays when I attended a friend’s birthday party at a restaurant. People from different races were present with the majority being Americans. Everything went on well till it was time for the serving of meals. The server went around asking everyone what they would like to have. When it was almost my turn, an American who sat next to me said after giving his order “as for this one, you can give him anything you get, you know these people eat everything.” The stern look on his face was a clear indication that the guy meant every bit of what he said. Although I had seen on several occasions, we had never interacted before. I was taken aback by his statement, and I started pondering on the meaning of his words. I was sure that it was no joke since I was a total stranger to him. I came to realize later that he meant that the Chinese could eat anything including animals like snakes, lizards and the like. This stereotype automatically qualified me to eat anything that was available in the party.

800 word paper

With my upbringing, there were many meals of Chinese origin. Also, I am very selective on my meals, especially if not prepared at home.  As a result, I felt disrespected by the insinuation that Chines people can eat anything. Therefore, I expressed my disapproval of the statement. Surprisingly, the issue brought up a heated debate with those seated at our table joining. Some stated that it was true that Chinese eat anything but others had a different opinion that it is not always the case. I realized that most people were of a similar opinion that Chinese people have weird eating habits as compared to the rest of the world. The primary source of this stereotype was the media through the various movies that people had watched where Chines actors ate odd things. In the end, the person did not apologize but brushed the issue off saying, “let us leave that story.” Therefore, I decided to put the issue to bed to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention. I then ordered a regular diet as I always do. However, I felt that the utterances were very offensive and the guy should apologize while others thought it was right.

My experience at the restaurant corresponds to the story “Just Walk On” by Staples. The young black journalist is facing discrimination due to his African-American origin. The experience started when he was a graduate (Staples and Brent 38). She met a girl in her twenties who ran away from him when she felt that the distance between them was too short. The guy felt that he was conspicuously different from other people in the vicinity simply because of his color. Whenever he went to the streets, all drivers were slamming their doors in fear of him. The black people seem to thieves. Therefore, whenever he went to any premises to look for stories to publish, most people would take him for a thief and raise the alarm. Additionally, the branding of single women in China as leftover women is another bias with a clear indication of how the society can wrongly brand people (Magistad, 2013). This is another negative perception against the Chinese women who are not married, including the widowed and the unmarried by choice. Also, the Laurie and Mandell

In conclusion, there exists a variety of common national stereotypes. Misperception by appearance is an importantly born trait in our society that leads to a bias against a particular group of people. It is not uncommon to be mistaken for what you are not when interacting with other people. Many individuals have been labeled inappropriately and suffered adverse consequences such as beating to death due to such misconceptions. Therefore, people should avoid misjudging others by getting to know them through unbiased interactions. My experience in the restaurant is an example of how stereotypes can cause adverse effects between different parties. I was judged unfairly without being given the opportunity to express my preferences.

Works Cited

Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell. The Blair reader: exploring issues and ideas. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.

Magistad, Mary Kay. “China’s ‘Leftover Women’, Unmarried at 27 – BBC News”. BBC News. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.

Staples, Brent. “Just walk on by a black man ponders his power to alter public space.” Lit. Cavalc 50 (1998): 38.