Welcome to stereotyping 101! This is a commercial for a TV show that just premiered a few weeks ago. SKINS, originally from the UK, is a teen drama that follows a group of teenagers. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness (including eating disorders), sexual orientation identity, substance abuse and death. This show is a prime example of stereotyping because when viewers watch this, they are thinking this is the 'average teenager'. But what is it that makes us stereotype this? It is all the activities they are doing, the items they are using, what they are wearing, and how they act. All these are semiotics.
Semiotic is defined as, the study of cultural sign processes, analogy, metaphor, signification and communication , signs and symbols. So because of all the alcohol, drugs, sex, and illegal symbols in this show this forces us to stereotype.
I asked someone, "What comes to mind when I say teen pregnancy?" And their response was what the average person would say.
- high school
- 'slut'
- lacking common sense
- unprotected sex
- Attention grabber
Although more than half of these assumptions are false, it is what our brain is trained to think! I believe it is the way society has led us to think. I go by this saying, you are what you grew up around, and I really do think that this forms how and who we stereotype.
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