This is about the mindset a lot of folks carry, thinking all girls are the same or want the same thing.
I hear people say stuff like all a woman wants is money, love, attention and care and she'll like You, in as much it is good to show a woman love, you'll attest to the face that there are girls you showered so much love and attention and they still left you...

People interpret love in different ways, I have met girls who will not feel worthy of your love until you are disdainful and show disaffection towards them. same applicable to men, I've seen men who do not feel worthy of a woman's love till she disrespects him or show no concern towards his advances.

So do away with your generalizations of all women want love or all men want respect bla bla, some people don't need none if those. The more you show them love or respect the more they'll drift far from you.

Treat everybody as you'll treat yourself and how they want to be treated, it is not right to throw the children's bread to dogs.
Remember that God created 7 billion humans in 7 billion ways we are not all the same.

Finally remember to love yourself and love God that's where true self esteem lies.

You're correct though

Hmmmm. To jettison generalisation is to walk through life blind and unguarded.

Stereotypes are not borne out of nonsensical whims and imaginations, rather they emerge from frequently repeated scenarios. If a concept/practice were not commonplace among a certain subset of people, it would not become a generalisation.

It is good to give the benefit of the doubt, but prepare for the stereotype too.