Stereotypes what makes them what they are?

I was on the train heading to work when there sat a few seats away was an Asian man with his girlfriend. He had a turban on and looked like a Sikh. His girlfriend was holding his arm, she was small in stature, however in comparison he was both tall and muscular. In fact he was the stereotype of what a muscle man should appear. Wearing a tight fitting T-shirt, and bulging biceps and chest. He must of decided at some point to sculpt his body and had obviously spent a lot of time doing it. I prefer to sculpt my belly and spend an equally lot of time trying to get the perfect desired roundness. After a moment he pulled out from a bag a book, and as if to emphasise his physique the book was big as well. A large hardback. How come I wondered, do certain people do everything they can to become stereotypes. Versions of other people they have seen.  When I go to the pub, there are customers there who are stereotypes of what pub drinkers should be and this is in every way. Alcoholics who have pitless stomachs to the taste of their special drink. Some have shades of mental illness but not enough to be considered a nuisance to society to be institutionalised. Through a public square I walk yet another set of individuals sit in the sun enjoying the beautiful weather and drink from cans of larger, they have their families around them, partners drinking, pitbull like dogs, the men with shirts off, tattoos with a self made look. They argue with each other, act loud, swear and it's like they are telling the world to see them, look at them, they are what they are, even if it is detrimental. It is a demand for attention, it's not subtle or a request, it is in your face attention seeking. Their life is like this and they want you to see it all. It is who they are and there is no caring. Not unlike the body builder who just wants to be admired and to draw stares in a magnetic way, the loud delinquent families want to both draw attention and repel it. They are an oxymoron in many respects.  A little like my belly getting big, and then I quietly fart so as to gently try to reduce it and inadvertently repel anyone who happens to be too close.  Some farts smell others don't.

Do people know they are attention seekers or is it just audiences who see attention seekers. Should we just ignore them after all they are nothing in real terms.  I try to ignore them, I love to practice the art of ignoring them. Headphones in listening to the radio, making a path around and away from would be seekers. As if it is nothing in the world to walk past these creatures. Yet in another respect these people are fragile by their very own attention seeking activities. They have a need which the audience gives them. If they are not judged perhaps their world would be a lot more different. This is the same for glamorous individuals, the famous, the rich, the notorious. We can't be one thing so we become another. Am I too judgemental I wonder. I also wonder if I see a hint of histrionics in every stereotype. Do they ever have self realisation and break out of their behaviour mode, I ask myself. I've not broken out of the pot belly behaviour mode for years and it constantly vexes me to think this is the one item of my stereotypical appearance, fat, grumpy, ukulele playing, hat wearing little man. Which sums it up quite well.

If someone is happy with their lot, their problems, their turmoils then what does it matter what the rest of the world thinks. Even if they are a stereotype.  But if they become unhappy when they don't get the attention they seek then they might gain some insight, pump one iron less, drink one can less, eat one cake fewer than normal. Maybe what stereotypes are, are the accumulation of a set of habits which continue to an inevitable path. Habits which can at times be bad. I once heard if you continue heading in a certain direction, you'll end up at the destination the direction is taking you towards. Of all things a habit, be it stereotypical or otherwise is difficult to change or to stop.  Like Scorates said "we are what we repeatedly do, excellence therefore is not an exception, it is a habit." Sounds a bit anally retentive, obsessive-compulsive if you ask me. Now, is it a good thing or is it a bad thing?