The Dangers of the Generalization

What is a Generalization? It is a statement about a group of people or things that is based on only a few people or things. Most people learned about A and B, A is a "generalization" of B, and B is a special case of A, if and only if

• every instance of concept B is also an instance of concept A; and
• there are instances of concept A which are not instances of concept B

Okay let me make it more simple. An apple is a fruit but every fruit is not an apple. I learned that in elementary school. 

I said most people because it is apparent that with rise of people opening their mouths to give their opinions that are full of generalizations. The Latest Face of Generalization is Stephen A. Smith.

I read about his rant on “First Take,” the program on which he debates sports issues with Skip Bayless on ESPN about about the Ray Rice domestic abuse case & punishment. 

“In Ray Rice’s case, he probably deserves more than a 2-game suspension, which we both acknowledged. But at the same time, we also have to make sure that we learn as much as we can about elements of provocation. Not that there’s real provocation, but the elements of provocation, you got to make sure that you address them, because we've got to do is do what we can to try to prevent the situation from happening in any way. And I don't think that’s broached enough, is all I’m saying. No point of blame.”

 

I immediately looked just like he does when he hears someone else say something stupid. Yes, I believe Everyone should keep their hands to themselves. Men shouldn't hit Women. Women shouldn't hit Men. Men shouldn't hit Men. Women shouldn't hit Women. I believe everyone should defend themselves. I believe that Ray Rice's wife should not have hit him. I believe Ray Rice took it too far. I believe Ray Rice is only getting a slap on the hand with his reaction to his wife hitting him. 

But to say that a statement that could mean, women need to stop provoking men into abusing them, I don't stand behind that. Too many women are being abused everyday just because their abusers woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Stephen A Smith's statement was a generalization. A hasty & unsafe one at that. 

We all generalize and that is wrong. Black folks are poor and uneducated. Feminists are lesbians. White folks are rich racists. Illegal immigrants are Mexicans. Pastors only want their parishioners to marry other Christians only. Men want their wives barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Those are just a few I heard and read last week. I reposted this image on Facebook just last night to make a truthful point. 

That picture though true for some is still a generalization. Now clearly every woman does not stay in the wrong relationship that long. But many stay in the wrong relationship well passed the expiration date. Keyword is Some not All.

That is the problem with statements about a group of people or things that is based on only a few people or things. It unintentionally characterizes All and not the Some it only should define. Stephen A. Smith though he did state that Ray Rice was wrong and was justly punished should have made a statement that spoke to women who put their hands on men. His statement should have warned them that their are men that will retaliate in harsher ways than what they aggravated. A woman who hit anyone is exciting a quarrelsome issue.  His statement should not acknowledge anything about all women who are abused provoke their beating. Stephen A. Smith here is the lesson for you.

There are women who have been hit by men that hit the man first but all women who have been hit by men did not provoke anyone to hit her.

I think over the weekend Smith learned that lesson. He apologized on the air, today, Monday morning. 

"While elaborating on thoughts concerning the NFL's ruling versus Ray Rice following a domestic dispute with his then-fiancee, I ventured beyond the scope of our discussion by alluding to a woman's role in such heinous matters, going so far as to use the word "provoke" in my diatribe. My words came across that it is somehow a woman's fault. This was not my intent. It is not what I'm trying to say. Yet the failure to clearly articulate something different lies squarely on my shoulders. To say what I actually said was foolish is an understatement. To say I was wrong is obvious. To apologize to say I'm sorry, doesn't do the matter it's proper justice, to be quite honest. But I do sincerely apologize."

His most important sentence in his apology was. "Yet the failure to clearly articulate something different lies squarely on my shoulders". That is what happens when we generalize. We are not thinking while we are speaking. If we think before, while, and after we speak, our feet stay out of mouths. Slow down so you can use the proper words and stop being hasty in our opinions of  people and situations. 

Hey remember this rule A is a letter but All letters are not A.

Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms