What is essentialism, how does it leads to stereotypes, and what can you do to break the label you put on others and yourself? Well, it’s all about your way of thinking!
If you stop and think for one minute about the stereotypes that you have about people, does it make you feel a little guilty? Well, it should and it shouldn’t. Stereotyping is the way our species survived for millennials.
Only in the past two decades has it been a bad thing to categorize people according to essentialism. The problem? Our society is so hell-bent on making us all “equal” that stereotypes are now perceived as inherently negative.
They are considered a way to limit people, pigeonhole them, and keep them “less than” they should or could be. But that isn’t what is at the core of stereotyping. [Read: The most common bisexual stereotypes we need to get rid of ASAP]
What is social essentialism?
When you think about someone’s essence, it is what makes them, them. An undeniable characteristic, it defines the entire human organism. Sometimes male or female, black or white, homosexual or heterosexual, or any other essential, innate thing. [Read: Dating a feminist – 23 myths, benefits, must-knows]
Social essentialism doesn’t exactly define the behavior of someone, but it explains why someone is naturally inclined to go through with said behavior.
And when enough people are inclined to have this behavior or trait, essentialism groups them together. Our brains like categorizing people and situations because it helps us understand them more, which is why essentialism comes instinctively for many.
Where does the idea of essentialism originate?
The idea of essentialism originates from Plato’s “Theory of Forms.” In this, he poses the idea that every object we put a name to must have an essence for which we give it its name.
His example was a bed. Why do we call all beds “beds” despite them having different characteristics and qualities? There must be an unchanging characteristic about them that gives them their “bedness.” He thought the same for all things in nature and all things labeled “beautiful” or “good” must share qualities of “beautifulness” and “goodness.”
Although thought-provoking, Plato’s theory has since been disputed given the subjective nature of description words and their definitions. [Read: 84 intellectual, deep conversation starters & topics to bond with anyone]
How does essentialism develop?
The development of essentialism starts during adolescence about biological things in nature. These essentialist beliefs are made to predict the way certain things act, e.g. wild animals act untamed.
As someone becomes more accustomed to their culture’s language, they will develop essentialist beliefs based on the simplified language used to describe a person or a thing.
When simplified language is used, it communicates generalizations about what the language is describing.
The easiest way to describe this behavior is when a parent uses generalized language around their young child. The child will group the characteristics of what is being described to understand their essence of what makes them, them.
How essentialism leads to stereotypes
We’ve covered what essentialism is, so let’s correlate it to stereotypes. A stereotype is a generalized belief about a group of people who are believed to be the same. [Read: How to be less critical – 15 reasons why you judge & how to stop it]
Essentialism beliefs exist not because they were politically created or perpetuated, but because people are predictable in certain ways. The same can be said about a lot of stereotypes.
Stereotypes are commonly known for being negative, but that doesn’t mean they always are.
Essentialism isn’t about stereotyping someone to keep them down or to limit their potential. It is about finding commonality between us all. That isn’t about a lack in someone, it is the essence of what makes us human, lovable, and unique. It is also about the things that bind us.
Positive impacts of essentialism
Once you know someone’s essence, you understand their perspective. You can put yourself in their shoes. Born out of essentialism is not categorizing to limit, but rather the ability to find and maximize empathy.
You’ll understand what makes them tick, what drives them, and how to relate to them on a level that you both understand. To truly be capable of walking in someone else’s shoes, know what it is that is at the heart of who they are. [Read: Female-led relationships – 50 signs you’re in one and don’t know it]
How to use someone’s essence to get along in life
If you don’t know why people behave the way that they do, it is easy to contribute it to something inside of them that might not be true.
For example, if you believe men are aggressive and competitive by nature, knowing they have the essential need to protect might make it look less self-serving and see their behaviors as more essential or innate. It also makes your perspective about the way that men tackle a problem seem less targeted. [Read: Sensitive sides – should men embrace male femininity?]
In the same respect, knowing that women have an essential nurturing tendency, a partner comes to understand that his wife’s incessant need to be concerned for his health is well-intentioned. It is an essential drive inside her because she has the propensity to nurture the people around her.
When you uncover why someone might do something based on their essential nature, it becomes much easier to take out the assumption of intentions.
Negative impacts of essentialism
Essentialism is a term used in psychology to find the heart of what makes someone innately who they are. But, that isn’t to say that all stereotyping is true or even good. There are some in power and society who do use stereotyping to limit others.
Believing that the color of someone’s skin defines what they are capable of, what their value is, or even their intelligence, simply isn’t what essentialism is about.
When people use stereotypes in negative ways, it is possible the notion of essentialism can be harmful to certain populations, genders, sexual orientations, and races. [Read: 15 gender stereotypes about males we need to let go of for good]
Those constructs are not the origins of essentialism, rather they are class-structured ways that people get stuck by judging someone for things in the culture that alter someone’s behaviors, not things they are born with or something “passed down” through inherited genes.
So, should society negate all stereotypes and strip us all of what both defines and makes us, us?
There is no doubt that stereotypes that are used to limit people or keep them inferior are not only unhelpful, but they hurt entire races and genders.
But not all stereotypes are bad. Neither is labeling someone or something. But that also means that not all of them are good.
The thing about our “essence” or what makes us, us, is that if your essential nature isn’t how you want to be defined, it is up to you to change yourself.
Screw what others think. If you want to be a female firefighter, get busy working out and make yourself strong enough to save people safely when they need to be lifted out of a second-story window.
In the same respect, if you are a man with a nurturing tendency and want to stay home and raise children, kudos to you. The only one who defines you is you. [Read: Stay at home dad – why there’s nothing wrong with being one]
Change notions about your essential nature one person at a time
Our advice to anyone with a problem with essentialism is that you should stop worrying about how notions about either your sex, race, or gender keep you down. Learn to make those things about you shine in the face of any preconceived notions.
Do you know how stereotypes are overridden? They are done so by enough people changing them. It doesn’t take an army to create change, just small alterations on big levels.
[Read: How to be yourself – 26 steps to un-fake your life & love being you]
Show the world that you can’t be defined or labeled by showing those around you what you are capable of.
