Shallow

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Shallow means not very deep. It can be quite advantageous, e.g. a shallow pool is safe for swimming and a shallow ore is easy to mine.

Nonetheless, used metaphorically it is a derogative term used to describe people who are perceived to lack intellectual "depth".

There is no standard definition of what constitutes "depth" in this sense, but usually an individual is considered deep if they seem to be interesting, original, creative, philosophical or intelligent. By contrast, somebody who appears superficial, naive, materialistic, petty, unimaginative or a conformist is likely to be denounced as being shallow, although simply lacking intelligence is not a criterion on its own; a number of them may even have relatively high intelligence, but make little if any use of it. Rather, lacking an interest in knowledge or intellectual persuits, may be regarded as a more likely criterion, rather than one's capacity to obtain and recall such knowledge. On some occasions, shallow people may be regarded as being inclined to discuss controversial or philosophical issues, even though they themselves may lack developed opinions toward them or even an understanding of such concepts, simply to give the surface impression of intelligence.

[edit] Behaviors that are considered shallow

Shallow people typically embrace stereotyped social roles, especially gender roles. They usually place excessive value on the appearance of something, sometimes judging themselves and others entirely by their looks, which gives the impression of vanity and arrogance even though they may possess neither of these attributes. Their emotional affect tends to be superficial and shift rather quickly, suggesting that they are either exaggerating their reactions, or that their emotional state is outright falsified.

Conversation with shallow people tends to remain on a very superficial level, often relating to the everyday details of their lives or the affairs of others; gossip is almost exclusively the domain of the shallow. This is not to suggest however that all shallow people are malicious or vindictive, though some are; indeed they are often very positive and friendly in their outlook. However, they overall tend to have very weak emotional connections, being more concerned with others' surface appearance rather than with "deeper" aspects of their personality.

Though not always malicious or vindictive, they tend to look to the media to give them their views on beauty, relationships, and standard of living. Thus, they seek out others that match society's idealized views. Frequently, their views in regards to various areas of their lives are often based largely on the commonly held opinions of others, often those who fit more consistently with society's standards of physical beauty or are regarded as having a higher social status.

Shallowness is occasionally not genuine but an act performed by a person who is insecure or in need of attention.

[edit] Shallowness and age

Young people are often stigmatized of being more shallow than other age groups. Some people argue that it is probably a consequence of the media: in which young people are expected and encouraged (if not outright coerced) to lead shallow lives, in order that they will constitute a more pliable audience for exploitation by advertisers. This stereotype is also rooted in adultism, which views youth as being inherently shallow. In actuality, one's age does not dictate their perception and behavior.

[edit] References