"Well MOST people..."

[Starsprite]

You've probably seen it or heard it before, when someone says, "Well most people do this." or, "Nobody does that." This is known as a generalization, and can be identified by words such as most, few, none, all, nobody, and everybody.

A generalization is defined as a broad statement about what a group of people or things have in common. Or for example:

"Most people in Taiwan like the colour green."

Generalizations may or may not have any basis for fact. Some, like my example, are completely made up. In any case, they are frequently used in debates and discussions, similarly to the way statistics are used.

How do you feel about the use of generalizations, especially when discussing issues? Do you use them? How do you react when someone uses a generalization with no basis for fact?

 

[invisible_light]

It depends on the context of the generalization. For example, if one says "Most people in Taiwan like the colour green", as you stated, I have no problem with it because it doesn't mean anything important. However, if one makes an inaccurate generalization that is offensive, rude, or just bad, such as "Most foreigners are criminals", that is wrong because it is not factual, and could create problems in the discussion. I avoid using generalizations because I feel that even if most people do x, that doesn't really mean anything in the discussion.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

If it is a truth, and I'm too lazy to find the exact numerical figure, I have no problem generalizing.

"Most people breath"

 

[Sydian]

I think it's only bad when it's a major topic or major group of people, especially a negative topic. Like if someone said, "All liberals believe in abortion." or "All conservatives are against same sex marriage." Those are REALLY heavy topics, and also that's a large group of people, and I know plenty in both groups of people that contradict that example generalization. So yeah, I think it's just a context thing. But personally, I dislike having to generalize people. It's one thing to generalize certain things, but you shouldn't always do that with people since everyone is so different. I know I hate when I'm generalized. "All staff are stuck up" "all conservatives believe this this and this" etc. I hope this makes sense lol. I'm kinda tired. ;(

 

[Nihilego]

I think a lot of generalisations, especially negative ones, are thrown around by people who dislike whatever the generalisation's about. For example, someone who doesn't particularly like PC's memberbase might say that "Most PC members have no offline lives" or something along those lines. I don't know how much truth that actually holds (strictly speaking, none at all because everyone has an offline life but you know what I mean) but it seems that quite often generalisations get more or less pulled out of a hat and used in a situation where the person using them thinks it'd be helpful to do so.

How do you feel about the use of generalizations, especially when discussing issues? Do you use them? How do you react when someone uses a generalization with no basis for fact?

So going by what I said above, I think it's pretty dumb tbh. I mean... I think they're ok if there's actually hard evidence to support what the person's saying. "Most people on PokéCommunity joined for something to do with Pokémon" is fine because that's completely true. But something like what I said above @ the no offline life thing isn't really backed up properly and isn't an easy thing to back up either so it's probably better to just leave it out unless there's strong evidence to support the generalisation.

 

[Charicific]

If I am in a serious debate, then I shall definitely avoid generalization. I find that objectivity needs to be served regardless if most people defy it or not. That is to say, I don't care if majority of people do something....,as long as it is wrong, it's not to be done. Vice versa is true as well. However If I am proving for someone in a quick skeptic manner, or to someone who lack basic knowledge, I might use generalization....but as long as it's true.

I don't like it when someone generalize for ME. I simply DON'T CARE about the majority of people and their deed. Just face me simply, is what you're trying to justify "right" or "wrong" ?

Not sure if it's wrong, but I'd rather follow nature's rules (if there's such thing) rather than following the majority's stance.

(By nature's rule, I mean what's naturally and objectively set for us)

 

[Aerinoctis]

I always took most people using generalizations to be exaggerations more than anything, rather than what they believe to be a fact based on the people that they know. I never think people are entirely serious when they say nobody does a or b, or everybody does x and y to mean everybody in the entire populous. They're describing their experiences with other people in the most simple way possible. People just take things entirely too literally -- especially online -- and I'm of the opinion that people who start arguments about it just look really stupid.

 

[Livewire]

They're half-truths. Nothing is absolutely certain. Yes, I can understand why you would make a comment like that, but, perhaps your scope of things is a little limited? The world's awfully damn big.