Shun the retrogressive stereotypes

By Sabastian Mwaluko 

The pre-occupied nature of our minds with stereotypes against particular tribes, job opportunities, material possessions, certain diseases and certain nations is demeaning, defamatory and retrogressive.

Stereotypes have occupied our minds and made us hate things that did not deserve our hatred as well as people and countries that were not as bad as we thought. For instance, the Kamba community in Kenya has been accused of witchcraft since times immemorial and there is no tangible evidence to proof the accusation. This is a false belief that has been installed in the minds of various communities such that when interacting with individuals from foreign communities and identifies oneself as a Kamba, the individuals run away from you in the fear that you would end up bewitching them. Unfortunately, it would be surprising to notice that Kamba people are not witches as the stereotype postulates, and fear witchcraft like anyone else would do.

The Kikuyus of Kenya too have been branded as the most corrupt and materialistic community in Kenya; but seldom do we have any scientific evidence to proof such a claim. The branding of Kikuyus as most corrupt and materialistic people has sometimes costed them great opportunities such as their members at times missing employment opportunities within the companies and businesses owned by foreign communities simply because such employers fear them for being corrupt, an attribution which they learnt from a baseless stereotype. In fact, most Kikuyus are loyal, and hardworking individuals who work tirelessly to make all that they possess.

Further, stereotypes have made us fear job opportunities and occupations that are worthy us simply because stereotypically we are oriented to believe that such occupations are either specifically meant for a particular gender, poorly paying, or associated with unpleasant behaviors such as being mean. For instance, decades ago in Africa it was believed that all hard subjects and most demanding occupations such as being a pilot, an accountant, a surgeon or a captain were all careers meant for brilliant men, thus no single female would dare try them. Currently with the onset of the fight for gender equality, especially with the massive support of the girl child, we have a lot of ladies venturing and doing well in those fields that were predominantly held by men.

Stereotypes have further affected our health in a negative way. It is shocking to notice that we have compromised out health and sometimes left our dear ones succumb to deaths a result of holding dearly to various stereotypes. For example, in various traditional communities like the Kamba community we have seen children die of illnesses that would have been treated in the hospital as their parents or caregivers seek medication from witch doctors and traditional medicine men, since they believe that such illnesses are caused by evil spirits which can only be shunned away by the witch doctors.

Surprisingly, it's worthy noting that the issue of stereotypes goes beyond communities, beliefs over certain diseases and occupations to the negative branding of different countries. For instance, African countries such as Kenya have been branded as the most corrupt countries by the western countries thus ruining the reputation of such countries such that even donors from the western regions fear donating to Kenya, as well as being discouraged from visiting Kenya. This negative branding has further costed Kenyans employment opportunities abroad since some of the potential employers abroad lack trust with the employees from Kenya. 

For us to prosper in this dynamic modern world, we need to do away with all the stereotypes which exist within our minds, and replace such stereotypes with knowledge which is scientifically based. Most of the issues which trouble us can never be resolved unless we forget the retrogressive stereotypes in our minds.