Pitt-Rivers

Reading quiz for "At the Pitt-Rivers."

We began our discussion with the observation that the narrator is prejudiced and that he stereotypes. We discussed the meaning of these terms. Prejudice means to judge before you know someone. Stereotype means a stable characterization - a characterization or generalization that does not easily go away. Stereotypes are natural to human beings. We tend to categorize our world so that it is easier to understand. Stereotypes can sometimes help facilitate social interactions. However, they can cause problems when they become too inflexible or when we rely on them too much and do not see people as individuals. Prejudice is almost always bad, since it entails making an often unfair judgment before we get to know someone as an individual.