Assumptions - Scandinavian architect and the raccoon

It sounds like the start of a quirky fable: a Scandinavian architect and a raccoon walk into a room. One is precise, minimalist, and coolly refined. The other is messy, mischievous, and possibly rifling through your bin.

We laugh, but beneath the image is something worth unpacking, how quickly we leap to assumptions based on cultural archetypes and appearances.

The Scandinavian architect brings to mind certain ideas: clean lines, calm efficiency, neutral tones, a preference for natural light and quiet spaces. We often attach traits like discipline, order and sophistication to that label, whether or not they apply to the person behind it.

The raccoon, on the other hand, carries a very different load. In popular culture it’s the chaotic bandit, the cheeky intruder, the creature that upends the compost and vanishes into the night. We assume disorder, whether that reflects true behaviour.

Now imagine we swapped the roles. What if the architect was the unpredictable force, challenging the rules of design and disrupting norms?

What if the raccoon was simply surviving with resourcefulness and adaptability, displaying a kind of clever resilience we often overlook?

This little thought experiment invites us to look closely at the narratives we construct about people, professions and cultures. Anthropology reminds us that symbols are powerful, but not always accurate.

Social bias creeps in subtly, through language, stories, even casual jokes. When we flatten complexity into a type or stereotype, we lose the opportunity to see the full picture.

So, the next time you catch yourself assuming who someone is or what a raccoon is up to, pause for a moment.

Look again at the stories we think we already understand.