The Fringe Freaks

It is well known that when we have limited information about a target, we use that information to form our perceptions of the target. Since the perceptions were based on limited information, we end up with potentially wildly incorrect perceptions. A simpler example of this is when we stereotype people based on a small amount of information. If the stereotype is based on a large amount of information, it can be fairly accurate. If not, it can be grossly inaccurate. Always, a stereotype is a generalization that obviously does not apply to everyone in the group.

So, why am I talking about this? Well, I was aghast at the ridiculous reaction of some people in India to the infamous Richard Gere - Shilpa Shetty kiss. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can view the 1-minute video of the kiss on YouTube here. Richard was in India on a charitable mission on AIDS prevention and was being honored by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty when he was overcome with emotion and gave her a hug and kiss on stage. Okay, so maybe he went a little bit overboard for being on stage. I'm not so sure I would have been completely under control if I was standing next to that lady. But that's beside the point. Some nutcases went completely batty over this apparent insult to all of India or a slap in the face of chastity in the country or some such thing. There were protests, effigies burned (the usual) and then some publicity-seeking, grandstanding, sanctimonious lawyer filed a lawsuit. A supportive judge was so offended by the video that he issued a waarant for the arrest of both Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty for public indecency or something like that. Of course, the press in India and around the world are having a field day (it even made the newspaper in Duluth, Minnesota).

Of course, as usual, it is just a small group of fringe freaks who are getting all the attention from a story-hungry press corps. But, as the story wends its way around the world, people with limited information about India (which would be most of the world), quite understandably start to form impressions of the country based on these weird stories they hear. Of course it is not reasonable or fair, but it happens. And, they probably go around telling others what they know about India. Believe it or not, I have actually had people (educated people) come to me and ask if we eat chilled monkey brains regularly in India after they watched the Indiana Jones movie (Temple of Doom). Oh well, if you have to ask, let me tell you, they're delicious!