Clichés and Stereotypes.

I don’t know what it was about clichés or stereotypes that drove me up the wall, but they have always rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was the theme of them in books and movies, or society’s expectations, but I always rebelled a little against them.

Actually, I began to loathe them. Given that I am an Asian American living in East Tennessee, I’ve been subjected to a few stereotypes. There aren’t many Asians in my area, so it’s definitely something new whenever people come across one.

Stereotypes

My favorite color is, and always has been, blue. I’ve always been drawn to that color; I know some girls like pink and will decorate everything in pink. I knew a girl who would write in pink, carry a pink bag, and even decorate her room with pink trinkets!

I mean, to each their own on the color preference!

This isn’t what I mean though. For baby showers, it seems as if some, not most, items are coordinated to the gender color. As if the color just had to be pink for a girl so the mom can dress her up in that color attire. That’s neat and all for some, but I’ve always been the one to stray from the stereotypes.

It’s frustrating to know that this world is filled with so many labels and it’s hard to be defined without standards and expectations. Why the assumptions that cheerleaders were stuck-up and two-faced girls who ran around with jocks that were all up to no good? I had a hard time believing that in books or my high school.

Obviously, I can’t base this solely on my high school, or even on Greek life in college. Yet, there is a trend of facts that some of these stereotypes are true about the girls.

I ended up joining the cheerleading team my sophomore to senior year to prove this wrong. The girls were nice to me and all, but there was indeed a lot of drama that I had to listen to during the meetings. One got so bad that our school principal had to come in and talk to my cheer team because of some dispute between two girls. It was incredibly childish and annoying – given that we were seniors in high school when this went on! I didn’t listen to the meeting as much since it was not about me, or a few of the other girls.

Not all jocks were the same. Neither were the “nerds,” band geeks, cheerleaders, punk kids, etc. I’m sure the world isn’t blind to this fact, but they sure enhance a writer’s plot and storyline.

Not all blonds are aloof and ditzy; The Suite Life of Zack and Cody proved that one with having an intelligent blonde and ditzy Asian. [I sure miss that show!] Disney was going somewhere with their shows back in the day. Now, I’m not completely sure but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Bottom line of the point I’m trying to get across in the midst of my rambling: I don’t like the stereotypes because they set up presumptions for people without allowing the people to make their own pure impressions. 

Again, not saying that we do that, but it does give some positive or negative memories on the people that we’ve encountered in our lives and apply them to those we meet in the future. I know some will say that they remember the weird guy in our high school science class, or the guy that was a jock and sucked up to the teachers to get a better grade and good standing.

We know those people that fall under the umbrella of stereotypes. They do exist, but we shouldn’t say that we all fall under some stereotype.

Clichés

Clichés don’t bother me as much as stereotypes. They do seem over done with how many some are used. A few references are blue-eyed blondes in country songs. I hear a handful of musicians use this description of a woman in their songs. Lonestar [My Front Porch Looking In], John Michael Montgomery [Sold], and Rascal Flatts [Oklahoma-Texas Line] just to name a few.

It’s just interesting to notice how there are handfuls of songs about blondes with blue eyes even when there is a slim amount of people who are actually born with naturally blonde hair and blue eyes.

Classic Hallmark movies are a prime examples of cliché and cheesy. It’s what causes people to gather around during the holidays and indulge in Christmas movies. Those contain the sappy, cheesy endings we hope to have within us just a little bit in our lives. Ironically, they aren’t my style, but I am a sucker for other romance movies.

I’m sure we all root for the two protagonists to end up together in a romance movie or book, right?!

Indeed.

I’d like to think that we all fall for the poor guy and rich girl to end up together, despite their differences. [Nicholas Sparks]

They are the ones that sell for books and movies. It’s what causes people to gather around during the holidays and indulge in Christmas movies. Those contain the sappy, cheesy endings we hope to have within us just a little bit in our lives.

Or where it’s the predictability of where a guy and a girl meet, but have the story arch of something to divide them, then end up together in the end. In reality, I don’t think that a movie would sell very well if the couple doesn’t end up together, but some have.

I did reference Nicholas Sparks since he doesn’t put some of his iconic couples together. They manage to sell regardless and he’s pretty successful! Deep down, I am an audience member that hopes, always hopes, that the couple ends up together. The relationship plots in movies and books are what inspire some of my writing.

Cliché lines are all too familiar with us, so I won’t give any examples. I own’t bash those too much, but in some situations, a cliché acts as a staple; they are always applicable to use during perfect moments.

Clichés and stereotypes are simply part of society, but that doesn’t always mean we have to believe all of them. I’ve learned over the years to not take them to heart, but with the right people, I could always tease back and it’s harmless. Hopefully everyone takes them harmlessly too.

Have a happy Tuesday!