Stereotypes - Young Tae Seo

When I first arrived in Canada, people at first thought that I was a fresh immigrant (FOB), who couldn't speak English at all and had no friends. This was technically true because I really had no friends and could not speak English as well as others. But after several months passed by, my English skills have improved quite a bit and I was not much different from other students. I was able to make friends, who I communicate with through MSN every week. People stopped laughing and making fun of me because I was no longer a mute. I was able to break free from those stereotypes others have had on me. It was not easy because Canadians in general were quite stubborn and were not very good at listening to and respecting others' opinions. I think it's because of the stereotype that White people are superior to all other races. It is true that they have kept many different countries as slaves and colonies, but that does not mean they are superior. In my opinion, I think that Canadians and other White people are worse in math than Asians. African Americans tend to be superior in most sports, probably due to their reflexes. Stereotypes can be both beneficial and harmful because when you think of a person, you can't only think of his positive sides. Nobody is perfect in this world, so people have strengths and weaknesses. I think stereotypes depend on the person's attitude. If he has negative and depressed personalities, he will have harmful streotypes about others. But if he was a bright, happy person, he will have beneficial stereotypes about others. It depends on your attitudes toward the world.