Social Grouping (preps,rockers,emo,nerds,etc)

I haven't been in school for about 5 years but im starting to hear a lot of badmouthing of specific groups. Am I the only one that doesn't believe specific people belong in a specific category?

I understand if you're under like..19 years old at most, that you don't understand that but here is how i see it.

Most people try to be socially accepted and have a "need" to fit in. When a person is in a decent group of people (school) they tend to hang out with people with similar personalities. but to label at most 20 types of personalities is sorta wrong.

In high school at my time anyone who just didn't like to hang out and go spaztastic over every little thing hung out in one area, we all wore usually darker clothing and others considered us "Rockers", the term "Emo" was barely coming to life so nobody in our social group called us that for our clothing, several of us had messed up personal lives but the fact that the ones with emotional problems were not shoved into a corner made it much easier to get through the day. Personally I just didn't have a lot of energy in school, liked to sleep, liked the colors green and black, and liked rock,jpop and game music (orchestrated stuff), everyone in black when i got to that school were just sitting around drawing or looking at magazines, being lazy so i sat there, they said hi i said hi and i made friends.

In no way was I some kind of stereotype, the clothes one wears and the music one listens too does not decide the person they are. I don't think there was any specific person or social group I ever disliked other than a few times a group of girls laughing too loud lol..


My point is, im me. there are a lot of people out there trying to fit in, some that have mental problems and get almost shoved into being in a specific group like "emos", once in that group they develop stronger bonds with what that group is expected of them like depression for emos, computers and card games for nerds, metal weapons and bad behavior for rockers (devil warshiping, i was labeled that once), pretty clothes and totally bitches for preps. you get my drift?

I think social labeling is bad for a lot of people, and its getting out of hand. If somebody doesn't fit in to you, don't try and degrade them by forcing them into a category. Just go on with your life.

Also people already stressed about the category you are in, they are just random people complaining to you. In a few years you most likely wont see them again and if you do you wont recognize them so try not to let anyone else choose who you are, you're you.

Anyway, thoughts? anybody else think this social grouping crap is out of hand?


Oh and also something else I find weird, I was told about a week ago by some girl that rockers were something totally different than what I was a few years ago, i could have this wrong and personally dont care but there are several groups of "rockers" now, each a specific type of rock and clothing style, sometimes they even dislike the other rocker groups...what? its school not the streets, not gangs just get through school and stfu lol thats how i see it anyway. Anybody want to explain the different groups of "rockers" to me now.

I feel bad for kids these days -.-

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocker_(subculture)#Origins_and_characteristics

Go read.

 

100% agree with you robolink. my school population is separated into many different cliques who despise each other.

 

Generalization is a mechanism we use to form a better concept of the world around us. Even those who don't consider themselves "labelers" will label many things, just for the sake of simplicity so they can move on in their conversation.

I'm not saying it's right to lump someone into the pretentious poser-punk label just because they bought a few shirts from Hot Topic. I'm saying that generalization has its place and it's hypocritical to badmouth it. Without generalization, it would take forever to convey our ideas. A good balance is the key.

 

^Note the generalizations present in that post.

It's only a problem when you're seeing people due to their supposed "grouping", rather than the people themselves. I've been lucky enough not to be in a society where that's much of a problem, which tends to (in my view) teach you more about individuals. But to be honest, as long as you're not defining people by their supposed role in society, you can forget about everyone else.

 

glad we have no kind of groups in this country....yet at least...

 

My school because of the rather shameful number of 100 students total, it was mixed...I was hanging out with kids 3 years below me...not many in my class who I could be bothered talking too.


These days I hang out with 2 different groups...one seems almost nerdy...but with fireworks, burnouts, pranks and such, it doesn't seem nerdy, more or less a group of outcast that I actually get along with.


The other group I hang with are remerants from my old school, again outcast...this time restricted by parents...not much fun if a friday night ends at 9pm even if they are 20

Being an antisocial emo-esc type I'm fine just on my own, or lurking around here waiting for a post...

 

Wow I must be quite odd then.. I prefer my solace..

I pretty much agree with everything you put there.

 

I'm glad our school doesn't do that. I think everyone just got to that point to just get over themselves and everyone's friends from different social groups. That, and everyone's not really afraid of trying new stuff that may fall into a particular social groups only thing. Then again, i do come from a multi-cultural country :]

 

i think i can help here as i'm educated in child development and work currently with teenagers.

social grouping is strong within teenagers because it is a hard time for the teenage brain, it is the point that we learn about the real world as we transition in to it becoming adults.

this is the time we learn most about ourselves. yes the groups get labelled and most of the time by an oposing group but that is only to give an name to explain a group that has emerged.
we go toward these groups because as you learn about the world and start to think for your self you start to have your own ideals and naturally gravitate toward those that think with a similar view and interests.

and as far as labels go some might say you can't generalize someone's personality because of the group they are in but you can, there is some truth as to what the group is, they are in a group that the majority will share the same opinions and ideals even if the individual disagrees with some of it they still hold commonality that the person has identified with so labels good or bad serve their purpose.

and it is just primarily a late teenage thing it's observable and it starts (in the UK) at high school, the main transition in to adulthood and ends basically when they are out of mandatory education (an adult).

the interesting thing as how the people in these groups handle them selves in the real world once they leave education.

outcasts tend to cope with the world allot better having not been in a group having friends of many different backgrounds and opinions thus being able to integrate easier to the real world although it does depend on what the reason for their casting out was, if it was just because their individuality didn't fit in other groups this is what i mean but for more extreme issues then the result is different.

those that found enjoyment in the constant defying of authority don't do well as adults, as children having the protection of being a child they never learnt real world consequence to their actions and it is hard to readjust after this.

most other groups are average and become average people

can't be bothered to write much more but i hope i made that all understandable.

 

We don't have any grouping like that here, anyone can socialize with everyone just fine.
No border, no limitations. ;D
Although there are people who thinks they are better from other people....

 

I think stereotyping is perfectly ok.
However, what you stereotype on is key.

Let's say there's a group of emo's, of course they're going to be whiny little faggots, that's the basis of their group. The music they listen to, the way they feel and their opinions are what the groups are based on.

Now let's say there's a country, there's going to be culture so some things will be similar but because of the very large numbers that are grouped together geographically and not by choice (although one can move) so we can have some sort of trend but it's not as important on mentality. (Although enviromental experiences are big personality causes.)

So it's safe to stereotype social groups to a degree but not to stereotype geographical groups.

 

it does appear to be a more western idea, although with the current westernisation of the east i wouldnt be shocked to find it common place within the next decade or so.

 

Perhaps....
Eastern people don't put people grouping like that.
For now....

 

Actually, there are sort of small social groups on here, I think i'm better than some of the users because of their very low maturity and grammar, it's justified.

 

so having poor grammar makes you less of a human being... i was not aware of that.

 

what about me i have stupidly bad grammar and writing ability yet i hold a high IQ and an almighty problem solving brain are you better then me because of my written English?

 

i would also like to point out the mudkip in your sig, thats makes you immiture. so cameron is not only better than you, he is double better.

 

Your taking his bait.Hes obviously proud about his grammar,as theres not much people in England that can actually speak English LOL.

 

i think we could label him a stuck up preppy butt munch