Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site spp2.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!trwspp!spp2!jhull From: jhull@spp2.UUCP (Jeff Hull) Newsgroups: net.jokes.d Subject: Re: JAP Message-ID: <490@spp2.UUCP> Date: Fri, 22-Mar-85 14:45:58 EST Article-I.D.: spp2.490 Posted: Fri Mar 22 14:45:58 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 25-Mar-85 02:18:21 EST References: <1418@ut-ngp.UUCP> <4206@ucla-cs.ARPA> <780@uwmacc.UUCP> <4979@ukc.UUCP> Reply-To: jhull@spp2.UUCP (Jeff Hull) Distribution: net Organization: TRW, Redondo Beach CA Lines: 48 Keywords: humor, stereotyping, ethnic humor Summary: Americans have a tendency to stereotype people. In article <4979@ukc.UUCP> grgh1@ukc.UUCP (G.R.G.Hocking) writes: > but what is a jewish american princess ???????? Due to the eclectic nature of American society & the diversity of ethnic groups & cultures that comprise the historical background of most American families, there has always been a (sometimes gentle, sometimes not-so-gentle) conflict between those already here & new immigrants. When negative conditions elsewhere in the world (e.g., the Potato Famine in Ireland in the 1800s) caused large numbers of immigrants from a single ethnic group to arrive in America in a short time, there was created an opportunity for "old-timers" to stereotype the newcomers by their cultural characteristics. Thus, the Irish, who had a tradition of social exchange among men at the local pub, got a reputation for being drunkards; the Polish, whose language shares few similarities with English & who, therefore, had great difficulty learning English, got a reputation for being stupid; the Jews, whose religion encouraged them to stick together, support each other, & work hard so as not to be a burden to each other, got a reputation for being overly concerned with money (did he say tight-fisted :-)? ). I have tried to phrase this in a non-judgemental way to emphasize that I am neither agreeing with nor disagreeing with either the stereotypes or the practice of stereotyping; merely that I observe it as a social phenomenon. An outgrowth of the "tight-fisted Jew" stereotype is the Jewish American Princess stereotype. The JAP is a girl who is brought up (reared) by her parents to believe she is entitled to all of the benefits of wealth often without any responsibility to earn them. Thus, you get jokes like What does a JAP make for dinner? Reservations. implying that, rather than support her husband by fixing him supper when he gets home from a hard day's work, she caters to herself by having someone else do it, possibly even at the expense of her husband who has to pay for it & may prefer to eat at home. This sort of humor has just enough basis in reality that it is pervasive and, apparently, ineradicable. P.S. I must confess that I find such jokes hilarious. -- Blessed Be, Jeff Hull {decvax,hplabs,ihnp4,scdrdcf,ucbvax} 13817 Yukon Ave. trwrb!trwspp!spp2!jhull Hawthorne, CA 90250