Stereotypes of Africa How Much Do You Know - 669 Words

The word stereotype can be defined as â€Å"a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. Stereotypes can be found everywhere, from schools to our views on the world. There are many stereotypes about Africans and Africa as a whole, and just like a majority of all stereotypes, they couldn’t be more wrong. One of the stereotypes about Africa is that it’s a country. It has often been argued that Africa isn’t a continent when, in actuality, it is the second largest continent with fifty-three countries and a variety of ethnic diversity. This stereotype isn’t only ingrained into the minds of children, but into the minds of many adults as well, including former Vice President and Republican running mate, Sarah Palin. A second stereotype is that all Africans lack intelligence. In reality, the African system of learning, is far more advanced than the American system of learning. A perfect example would involve le arning a foreign language. A majority of American schools begin learning a foreign language from middle school through high school. In Africa, many children in elementary school have mastered the basics of learning foreign languages; the languages include, English, French, and the languages of the other African countries (Twi, Ga, Ewe, Swahili, Fulani, Hausa etc.). A third stereotype is that Africa is filled with famine, war, diseases, poverty, and political corruption. When most people think of Africa, the first image thatShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Ted Talk1191 Words   |  5 PagesAdichie’s Ted talk, I believe not everyone in Africa lives in poverty, stereotypes in Children s books cause unrealistic ideas of reality and the media fabricates news to generate views and labels specific groups of people. Every day each and every one of us hears international news whether we hear it, we read or we watch it. When I was younger there was a Unicef commercial claiming they be children in poverty and they needed funding in the content of Africa and it’s 54 countries. Since I was 4 yearsRead MoreComedy Is The Most Significant Form Of Humorous Expression1191 Words   |  5 Pagessubjects that would make society defensive but do it in a way that lightens a serious subject.Many people see comedy as humorous but there’s more to it then just laughs in America it talks about a lot of problems in society such as politics and racial profiling. Although comedians try to make jokes and entertain the audience, they make you notice the reality of today’s society and problems. Comedy is offensive and known for talking about stereotypes but put into funny stories therefore making theRead MoreDanger of a Single Story1661 Words   |  7 Pageswe fail to challenge and investigate with a forward-looking vision? No wonder, this leads to a lot of assumptions, half-truths and stereotypes when this story is passed on from one to another. For example a lot of people think that Australia is like the land of the kangaroos and there’s crocodile Dundee catching crocodiles in the Australian outback, but they do not acknowledge the cities, towns, suburbs, and the people who talk good English. These stories told by people represent who they areRead MoreMovie Analysis : Mean Girls1280 Words   |  6 Pagestelevision shows and movies. No matter what movie you watch, there is likely to be an underlining female connection that connects to almost anyone. The film illustrates what high school cliques can do and the effect that they can have. THESIS In the movie Mean Girls Lindsey Lohan stars as a teenager, Cady, who doesn’t really know what high school, is. Due to her parents being zoologists, she has lived in the African jungle for fifteen years. She doesn’t know what the meaning of high school is becauseRead MoreStereotypes And Perception Of A Worldview1221 Words   |  5 Pagesthat stood out most for me, it explained how we are each shaped by our own personal experiences and therefore we each have our own unique way of viewing the world. Stereotypes play a huge part in our worldview, they aren t necessarily a bad thing but they aren t exactly good either. Stereotypes are a widely believed, oversimplified idea or belief of a particular type of person, people or thing (Online Oxford dictionary). As people living in South Africa, we come into contact with people from otherRead MoreThe World s Population No Matter1408 Words   |  6 Pagesdoes it in African societies today if we are no longer in slavery? Some people will argue that it is impossible to know why inequality exists and the same people would just accept that they are part of the losing end of the stick. They live their lives stuck with no progression. Although everything has a solution, people are not able to solve all problems and mankind can only know so much of what the other person is thinking. The world’s population no matter the race, gender or age is part of an ever-lastingRead MoreQuestions On The Midterm Exam1486 Words   |  6 PagesIvana E zeude ANTH 312 7 October 2016 Midterm Exam Part 1: #1 Through various sources from the past, it was relatively easy to determine the overall perception towards Africans that dominated much of the 19th and 20th centuries. During these times, Africans were seen as primitive and savage. They were inferior and less evolved in comparison tot heir Western counterparts. For the most part, they believed that Africans had made little, if any, progress since some humans left the continent and establishedRead MoreThe National Africana Studies Association Essay1988 Words   |  8 Pageseffort to educate today’s youth about the complexity, diversity, and pure beauty that is defined by Africa. I have been sent to speak to you by the National Africana Studies Association as part of a campaign to promote the study of â€Å"Africa in the classroom.† Throughout the course of my journey, I’ve seen how obvious it is that the high schoolers across the country have little to no knowledge about Africa. Quite frankly, I feel that the lack of African knowledge serves as a tremendous disadvantage toRead MoreCircle of life833 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Circle of life Shamika Starks Grand Canyon University World Religions INT- 244 Kenneth Rick October 20, 2013 Circle of Life When you hear the title â€Å"Circle of Life† It brings so much to mind. The way that Elk’s quoted the power of the circle and how it works, allows you to place things in a better perspective. This phrase has a lot of meaning and comes from something that holds value in today’s society. One of the biggest hit movies The Lion KingRead MoreCultural Codes : Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Essay1391 Words   |  6 Pagesethical behaviors that are associated with a specific group of people. Stereotypes are often associated with one’s ethical code to more or less predict or generalize how his identity or behavior will most likely develop throughout his lifetime. Cultural codes of all the different parts of the world help allow us to better understand people’s customs and their characteristics of their particular homeland. In the short story of â€Å"How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie† by Junot Diaz we