On August 30, 2015 I stepped on a plane to start a new adventure. With my bags packed and a passion for travel, I was off to live in Darmstadt, Germany for five months. I was ready to travel, to see the world, and to find myself, but what I didn’t realize I would find was the basis for my final project as a design student. While abroad I quickly realized that I had a preconceived idea of many different types of people without even knowing them. I made assumptions about their culture based on media, history and outside influences. This made me think – I am not the only person who feels this way; the world is full of people who base their opinion of a person solely off of a stereotype. When I returned, I made it my goal to break the stereotypes of fourteen prominent cultural groups. Through illustrations, photography, persuasive writing and facts, I believe I can break stereotypes and help clarify cultural cliches.
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The preconceived conception of culture can cloud reality to the point where one might be controlled by the idea of someone rather than their actual identity. We are fearful of the world because of the negative stereotypes that are associated with different groups of people. It is necessary to take a moment, process the false impressions and focus on the truth.
The connection between clichés and the reality must guide you to distinguish the truth of a culture and stereotype. It is important to recognize
the fallacy behind our understandings of the world in order to live in peace. This project is a compilation of stereotypes and stories told by fourteen different people from fourteen different cultures to help the viewer recognize the truth and fallacy behind the stereotype and help clarify the misconceptions of each.
