We live in a world of stereotypes, which are masked by allegory and reinforced by rhetoric. From the “constant lies spewed by silver-tongued politicians” to the “bingo-obsessed, dangerous senior citizen on the highway,” stereotypes are displayed and reinforced by people from all walks of life, every single day. By analyzing the different aspects of stereotypes about common groups within societies, the negative impact that this behavior produces becomes evident, in relation to one's perception. Stereotyping, or “the thought or image of a group of people based on little or no evidence,” is, quite frankly, convenient and efficient (Moore & Parker, 2007, pp. 122-123). By grouping millions of people into one group and associating them with certain labels, the brain does not have to work as hard or as long as it would, trying to remember the individual characteristics of each person. Stereotypes are also attractive and contagious. When a loved one or close friend engages in this behavior, it can become difficult to identify or refute the generalization, especially because mutual underlying interests and predispositions typically exist. Even more compelling is the insatiable media figure who exploits his ability to captivate others through his rhetoric – or is this a stereotype in itself? Politicians are generally labeled as “selfish and corrupt,” constantly spewing euphemisms about their actions and dysphemisms of their opponents (Purple, 2010). Democrats, in the eyes of a Republican, are generally considered radical, liberal, soft-hearted people who feel that the government should control everything; from a liberal perspective, Republicans are considered religious, gun-toting, intolerant extremists who love the big…middle of paper…the elderly on the streets, there are many others who break the mold. In essence, no group grouped together by a label will invoke the same image for every person within a society, regardless of the reinforcing rhetoric used, because individual perception is always relative. Works Cited Kang, M., & Jones, K. (2007, February). Why do people get tattoos?. Contexts, 6(1), Retrieved from http://ctx.sagepub.com/content/6/1/42 doi: 10.1525/ctx.2007.6.1.42Moore, B.N., Parker, R. (2007). Critical thinking (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Purple, opaque. (2010, June 21). Gross stereotypes. The American Spectator, Retrieved from http://spectator.org/archives/2010/06/21/crude-stereotypesSanbonmatsu, Kira. (2002). Gender stereotypes and voting choice. American Journal of Political Science, 46(1), Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3088412