We are all stereotypes, are we not?

I told a friend about the great experience I had seeing the movie Crash, which explores race, race relations, and racism in America, and she said, "I heard that it deals in stereotypes."

Yes, Virginia, it does deal in stereotypes, but we are stereotypes, are we not? Am I not much more like your typical white guy than your typical African-, Mexican-, or Asian-American?

The idea that everyone should be treated fairly translates in many people's minds into the idea that everybody is the same, which of course is bullshit. Not only are we unique as individuals, but we belong to unique social and ethnic groups as well.

Let me give you an example, I grew up with African-Americans, and while it's a stereotype that black folk like barbecue, let me assure you, it's true often enough, and it's a rather harmless stereotype. The stereotype that all young black men are dangerous hoods is a harmful stereotype.

I hope we all can see the difference.

What the movie Crash does with stereotypes is to say, "Yes, we look at each other through stereotypes which are sometimes wrong but often right, but you know what? people you think are bad can be not just good but absolutely heroic, and people you think are good can do very bad things. Rather than getting rid of stereotypes, which is probably impossible and would wipe out our ethnic identities, it's best to be aware of them and not think that because part of the stereotype is true, or that it's true in some cases, it has to be swallowed as a package or must always be true. We need to keep our minds open."

Yes, we are all stereotypes to one degree or another, but our stereotype doesn't sum us up.