The Nature of Prejudice

We all have our prejudices. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that people who say they have no prejudices are prejudiced against the truth. The flavor (and I daresay color) of our prejudices is determined by the geopolitical realities we must endure in our daily lives. It might be religion in one country, race in another, and language or tribe in a third one. Lately though, the constraints imposed by a global society and political correctness have meant that some people have become extremely adept at hiding their prejudices.

While I don't believe it is possible to completely remove a prejudice (it is after all a result of a lifetime of social conditioning), I do think rational people can stand up against their prejudice and use their intellect to override their conditioning. But there are those who simply choose to mask their inward leanings with fake niceties. These are the people we should be looking out for. For it is these people who will be willing participants in tomorrow race or communal riots.

Of all the forms in which prejudice is expressed, I believe stereotyping to be the most dangerous. While race riots may result in great physical carnage, stereotyping is the kind of practice that goes on under society's civil facade every single day. As a result, it can have wreak far more havoc on a people's psyche than any one violent event. I saw a good example the other day. A good friend of mine, exasperated by my momentary stupidity, chose to bring up my religion while sneering at me. Of course, what he implied was that I was being stupid solely because I belong to a certain religious persuasion.

I'm not sure he even realised that in his rage, he had allowed his hidden prejudice to surface as a countermeasure. But it did leave me fuming, and that is the sort of thing people need to be made aware of. So the next time you choose to abuse somebody's religion/race/language/ethnicity, please put yourself in their place for a moment. Let your intellect take over your social instincts. I know this sounds like a cliche, but its worth a try.

Of course, there is something to be said about the many forms of prejudice. The question that really puzzles me is: Are some forms of prejudice justified? Are we right in using prejudice as a punishment to challenge unwanted behavior? Take the example of the growing prejudice against cigarette smokers around the world. Or even prejudice against people who are prejudiced. How does it work? And who decides where the line gets drawn between common sense and political correctness?

Comments as usual are welcome.