2004-05-02

textualdeviance: (boi)
2004-05-02 08:01 pm

Oooh

Wanna see something scary?

Welcome to the most popular marketing demographics software. These "cluster" groups are how you're looked at by people who are trying to sell you something. This is the stuff used when developing products, too, including movies and tv. Isn't it nice to know there are only 66 types of people in the entire US?
textualdeviance: (introuble)
2004-05-02 09:24 pm

*grumble*

God, I hate it when people don't understand this...

Look, I'm a constructionist, generally. I don't believe biology is destiny. I believe that certain biological factors can have an impact on socialization, and I do think that there are some things which contribute to behavior. It's been more than proven, for instance, that hormones do play a part in behavior, especially when they're at particularly high or low levels. (hello-- PMS and Post-partum depression, anyone? Aggressiveness due to steroid use?) I also believe that how a person is put together, depending on their sociocultural circumstances, can affect how they develop. A small kid might get beaten up a lot. A strong, tall kid might be guided into sports. A fat girl might suffer from low self-esteem and depression due to psychological abuse.

But generally speaking, no, I don't think merely being a certain race, or being gay* or any other inherent, unchangeable biological trait is an absolute predictor of personality, behavior or culture.

HOWEVER

warning, high-level social theory ahead )