So this isn't so directly political, but it's more than a distant influence on politics!
I've been having a good long think about this picked up and put aside and picked back up over the past few years and have been coming up with absolutely nothing, and not being able to rationalize something by any stretch of my imagination drives me up the wall - so I thought I'd pose a discussion question, both because others' insight certainly helps and it's food for thought.
The question is this: why does prejudice exist as something so strongly that people will act on it?
I figure it's actually quite a good thing to try to understand - not empathize with, of course, but it takes knowledge of how something works to fix it. And everyone does have their -isms, through teaching or unfortunate exposure/lack of positive experience that they've taken as reference for labeling things, but again, not everyone acts on it.
The best I could do was come to the fact that humans are pack animals - perhaps they'll identify "their" people and lash out against those who are most distinctly not among them, which used to be beneficial - a warring tribe complex. But come on now people today are very much unified - though of course we have individual governments, countries, and other such affiliations, we're now very closely linked. Plenty of organizations try for action on a global scale - environmentalism, ending poverty, etc. Technology allows just about any two people to talk who can afford it almost regardless of where they live.
Even if tribal mentality does stand as an excuse there, people trying to make more of themselves through sense of competition between factions, the way prejudices are determined makes no sense, especially within America. Several races, sexual and gender orientations, religions, and what-have-you are mixed about in states, to counties, to cities. You'd think it would be most beneficial for a person to ally with all of those in closest proximity to them - they'd be immediate assets, people to turn to for favors and defense - or at least have a live-and-let-live attitude in regards to them. Why seek conflict? Yet a racist student would generally sooner ally with a person of and biased toward the same race who they will never get to know on a personal level - a politician, person spoken to through telecommunication, whatever scenario please you - than a fellow student of the very same college and with otherwise similar opinions.
What also makes little sense is this - why would a person filter people out with a system of just-about-everyone-is-all-right-unless-they-possess-this-one-little-trait - setting their alarms to go off on detecting some arbitrary detail and judging others on whatever basis they would normally use - instead of looking for one particular or set of common traits they show special favor toward? While bias isn't excellent either, prejudice sets a person up to make enemies where no conflict or challenge exists, and what allies it gets its possessor are on a "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" basis.
This all may be under assumption that humanity gravitates toward harmony - but why wouldn't it? That idea's easier to support than one that suggests humans seek to shorten their own lives - even the idea of the path of least resistance suggests that people are selfish - want to get as much as they can for minimal work - yet ought to imply that they shouldn't seek enemies. Fighting certainly takes work, and risk.
Though perhaps a more Hobbes-esque viewpoint would offer an explanation.
6 comments:
I feel like that people become prejudice because of fear. Fear in that they are not the same as someone else and that they are somehow hindered by that (in terms of race, big heads, bigger bodies, etc). We also learn to be prejudice based off of what we learn from historical evidence. In terms of animal packs, i agree, because of the evidence of how our race has always seem to go to war and fight. Also, I disagree with the statement that least work implies you dont make enemies, just that you dont make enemies of those who are above you because how often is it easier to "screw" over your coworker to get the promotion, get them demoted and thus have less competition, and make yourself stand out more. Thus you come to the idea of putting someone down, which many feel, if not sub consciously, makes them better than that person. After all, who doesnt want to feel better, and thus "win"
While you bring up great points, I can't say I agree that we are more unified today. I think you are forgetting the fact that we live in California, where there are a lot of people and it is very diverse and people do seem more unified. But in many parts of the country, the population is not as dense, thus there less types of people to identify with, and your point about pack animals has a much stronger affect on people. After being raised with one set of views, it would be very difficult to shake them off. I think they filter people based on the fact that they are just so accustomed to hating and judging people, that they don't even realize they're doing it anymore, and then they miss the opportunities of advancement.
Going off of what Billy and Kristen said, I feel like a lot of why prejudice still exists in our society is because of stereotyping. In our society, we are an aesthetic and judgmental race. Whether we admit it or not, the first thing that someone notices in a first impression is how the opposite party looks or what they are doing. From there, if we see another person of the same group do something, especially if that bothers us, our brains almost automatically stereotype that group. That being said, I do believe that prejudice can and should be an outdated idea, however I do not foresee that happening anytime soon. Thanks to the media and close-minded individuals prejudice is alive and kicking, and while there is a “Grain of truth” to every stereotype I do not believe one person represents an entire culture.
I completely agree with what Lexi had said and going off on what she said, I do believe as well that prejudice still exists, everywhere, and the fact that people are constantly stereotyping others does not help the cause what so ever. The fact that people are so judgemental as well does not help the cause either, the first thing we do when we meet someone is jugde them. Whether their hair is different, their clothes are different, or maybe even how friendly they are. If we are not used to it and if it is diferent in any kind of way, we automatically turn it down. We won't like it. If people weren't so quick to jugde and got to know another based on their personality, I believe there won't be as much stereotyping or prejudice in our society. Just because somone does not conform to your likings they way you want them to does not automatically make them the enemy or someone who cannot be a potential friend.
I think that these prejudices are also in part because, like what Kirsten says, people grew up in different families and backgrounds. Each of has different morals, beliefs, and traditions that sometimes contradict with other people’s views. I think this is where we try to group ourselves and seek some allies who would support same attitudes and behaviors. Those who oppose do not belong. We tend to alienate people who seem odd and different, which distorts reality. However, after learning evolutionary psychology, there might also be other reasons (or excuses) for judging other people. Humans might have evolved stereotyping/ discriminatory tendencies in order to have an adaptive advantage. Being able to quickly decide which group a person belongs to has a survival value, since it distinguishes between enemies and friends. Fear like Xenophobia might have genetic roots. Nonetheless, prejudice allows people to avoid doubt and fear. It also can be used as a scapegoat in times of trouble and can boost self- esteem. For example, a poor white farmer in 19th century could feel better by thinking that he is superior to slaves.
I don't agree that "humanity gravitates toward harmony". While we all have hands and feet, to categorize human nature is absurd. Our minds are shockingly diverse; the thought processes of a mad man and a lawyer could not be compared. Your arguments tend to revolve around the theory that all humans innately seek the same thing, and therefore, prejudice evolves out of our need for companionship.
It is my belief that the root of prejudice stems from the unknown. Humans are naturally inclined to fear things that they do not understand. They fear the strange and exotic because they do not appreciate the lack of control.
Taking into mind this basic principle, maybe the answer to eliminating prejudice is to have a more complex, thorough educational system that addresses issues of race and sex.
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