Ducks in a Row: the Stupidity of Stereotyping
by Miki Saxon
Stereotyping is stupid.
It’s stupid because you can’t generalize out the traits of a few to an entire group.
And the larger the group, the stupider the results of stereotyping.
However, the lure of lumping together a large, demographic group for selling purposes is catnip to marketers and also the media.
The problem was well illustrated over the last few years in the depiction of Generation Y — those worthless, entitled Millennials.
80 million of them.
That thinking will go a long way to screwing up your efforts to sell to, hire and manage them.
So think about it.
Don’t you find it a bit ridiculous that 80 million people all think and act identically?
People who come from totally different backgrounds.
Not to mention totally different states; what are the chances of people from California/Maine/Texas/Florida raising their kids so identically that they would think alike?
All 80 million, if you listen to the media.
Jessica Kriegel provides great insight and an in-depth look at the stupidity in her new book, Unfairly Labeled: How Your Workplace Can Benefit from Ditching Generational Stereotypes.
The more you look at generational stereotypes the stupider they become.
The more you buy into them the more money it costs you and your company.
Flickr image credit: Umberto Salvagnin
