I have been thinking about several things over the last few days and finally decided to pen at least one down.I wonder why people land up doing so many things in life, which they are not interested in. I mean why do so many people who join engineering institutes come out hating their subject and their line of study. Why are they forced into it in the first place? Or is it a conscious decision on their part?
I sometimes wonder why people have these stereotypes for everything in life?
"A "stereotype" is a generalization about a person or group of persons. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the "total picture," stereotypes in many cases allow us to "fill in the blanks." Our society often innocently creates and perpetuates stereotypes, but these stereotypes often lead to unfair discrimination and persecution when the stereotype is unfavorable."
The trend of stereotyping people based on what they do is horrid. These stereotypes lead people into a domain where they go to any extent to “fit in”.
It makes me sick to have to watch my friends fight internal battles with themselves because they are doing things they don’t want to.
It’s not only related to engineering (that was just an example) but to everything in life.
Why do so many people irrespective of how old they are give into these typecasts and stereotypes?
Look at my class in college, most of the people don’t even like the course one bit but have joined, as it is one of the best colleges in the country. They don’t comprehend how some of us were hell bent on this or nothing else. For them the thought of fitting into fixed boxes of thinking is the final aim even without realizing it.
Its not like I hate these people but feel bad for those who have believed every word told to them without thinking for themselves…without broadening their horizons.
I understand that all factors together influence who a person is finally but this cant take away from the fact that there are enough people who can think for themselves and believe in what they think is right instead of always depending on others.
I am not denying that advice is a good thing. That can never be refuted all I am saying is that guidance and advice is not absolute and has to be adhered to keeping in mind its consequences and context. People have to move beyond their own little, safe cocoons and learn to stop judging others based on what they think is acceptable and what is not.
This may sound like one arbit and lengthy post but its more to salute all those people in my life who have taught me listen and learn from others but also to think for myself.
And to this friend of mine who plans to drop out of The BEST law school in the country and do what he really wants to and not what other want from him. In the sense that its about time he moves instead of flunking there and making a mess out of his life…. Though I hope it’s a well thought out decision.
I dont know how others feel about this stereotyping and the consequence of it being so many unhappy people stuck in places and situations that they hate but it definitely disturbs me to see it like this.
