Here we go again. Another tired stereotype, thrown around like an old proverb that people stopped questioning a long time ago. It finds its way into chats, news, jokes, and even employment interviews. Easy to say. Easy to believe. Hard to undo.
They say that "men don't cry," so boys grow up burying their emotions as shameful secrets. They claim, "Women are too emotional," then disregard their truth the moment they speak from the heart. They claim things like, "Africans can't lead," "Nigerians are corrupt," and "young people don't want to work. " And, without even realizing it, individuals begin to repeat these untruths as if they were facts.
But what could be lazier than painting millions of individuals with one exhausted brush? What is more dangerous than simply believing something because it has been spoken often enough?
Stereotypes are useful. They enable us to avoid learning, inquiring, and thinking. It's easier to assume than to investigate. It's easier to laugh than to look closely. However, every stereotype has a cost. Every time you reduce someone to a category, you strip away a portion of their humanity. You shut a door. You say, "I already know you," without knowing anything at all.
Another lazy stereotype stifles curiosity and breaks connection. Kills truth.
It's not simply a matter of ignorance; it's also about opting not to grow. Choosing to remain blind because it is more comfortable than opening your eyes.
So the next time you catch yourself thinking, "They always do this," stop. Ask yourself, who exactly is 'they'? Where did I acquire that information? Have I truly investigated further?
Because genuine insight begins where lazy thinking stops. And no one has ever improved by believing in small-minded ideas.