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A generalization is a broad statement about a group of people or things. It almost always uses the following key words: sometimes, always, never, most, many, all, generally. This article intends to highlight 10 examples to help you better understand this term.

1. Begging the question:

This usually is mistaken for raise the question. The common example of this is to ask a husband if they stopped beating their wife. The assumption is that the husband is beating the wife.

2. I’ve been waiting forever:

How many of us have heard this generalization being made. Many people state this- have never actually been waiting more than 10 minutes. Some of them run out of patience and make generalizations that would make the other person feel horrible. Be truthful and honest, never lie.

3. There are so many things to name:

I was sitting in on a meeting between the principal and the parent. As a mediator, I tried to comprehend the parents’ concerns. The principal asked the parent to state her concerns, which the principal would write down. The parent kept saying that there are too many things to name. If you have the principal listening, why do you not name them? Generalizations such as these will never help you out of the situation.

4. Ad Hominem:

This is one common fallacy that has a claim or argument rejected based on criteria irrelevant to the point being made. Let’s say a religious person is against gay marriages. The respondent says that he expected that opinion because the claimant was religious. Being religious is irrelevant to the debate. One can be religious and still be gay.

5. Slippery Slope:

Common slippery generalizations are made when individuals are treated as a homogeneous group. Generalizations are simply made to win a debate and to prove the opponent wrong.

Queen Elizabeth II is not a very popular monarch. Many Commonwealth nations are currently rethinking her role as ‘head of state’. Her husband is not of any help. He runs his mouth numerous times, making the Queen look worse. Here are just 10 comments he made which sparked controversy.

1. Ethiopian primitive art exhibition:

Quote: “It looks like the kind of thing my daughter would bring back from her school art lessons.”

Comment: Here the Duke of Edinburgh had no regard for others and their arts. His metaphorical comparison was uncalled for and belittled the Ethiopian culture.

2. President of Nigeria:

Quote: ““You look like you’re ready for bed!””

Comment: Another of one those foul mouth comments. The President of Nigeria was wearing his traditional robe.

3. Russia:

Quote: “”I would like to go to Russia very much, although the bastards murdered half my family.”

Comment: This comment was made when the Duke was approached with the question of visiting the Soviet Union in 1967. This reminds me of a conversation Obama and Sarkozy had in 2011 over Netanyahu. These comments should be left closed in people’s heads.

4. Recession:

Quote: ““Everybody was saying we must have more leisure. Now they are complaining they are unemployed.”

Comment: This really shows how clueless the monarchy is about the people their reign over. Approximately 1 penny of the commonwealth’s wages goes to help him live, and he spits on that.

5. Hungarians:

Quote: “”You can’t have been here that long — you haven’t got a pot belly.”

Comment: Stereotype. This is another word I can add to this figure that is married to a monarch who runs a Commonwealth. By the way, if you are wondering…he said this to a British living in Hungary.