I disagree about generalizations. Entire fields of study would not exist without generalizations - sociology, psychology, philosophy, economics, etc. Stereotypes exist because there’s truth in them.

Either way, without understanding how humans behave collectively, we can never understand individuals. No one lives in a bubble.

Yes, generalizations applied to individuals gets dicey. You do need critical thinking skills to keep both generalizations and individual traits in your head at the same time. But generalizations are not always evil, and in many cases, are the only way to identify a problem driven by societies influences.