Prejudice

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In its original usage, the word prejudice referred to a prejudgement, or an evaluation or decision made before the facts of a case could be properly determined and weighed^[1]. This usage was subsequently broadened to include any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence^[2].

When applied to social groups, prejudice generally refers to existing biases toward the members of such groups, often based on social stereotypes; and at its most extreme, results in groups being denied benefits and rights unjustly (see persecution) or, conversely, unfairly showing unwarranted favor towards others (see bias).

This is different from viewpoints accumulated though direct life experience, which are neither prejudiced, conditioned or necessarily instinctive: they are not pre-judgments but post-judgments. Some argue that all politically based views stem from a lack of sufficient life experience; this, however, provokes the question of how much life experience is required before a point of view is no longer regarded as prejudiced. If no amount of experience entitles a person to a viewpoint - if every is biased - then there can be no objectivity. Judgements based on experience may, however, be coloured by prejudice. One might imagine a continuum from "prejudiced" to "based on experience," with many, if not most, views coming somewhere between the two extremes.

Reasons for prejudice

Fallacious extension of one's negative past experiences to the general case can be harmful; it can be termed bias, or more colloquially, "lumping". If a person has developed the concept that members of one group have certain characteristics because of a sour past acquaintance with a member of that group, s/he may presume that all members of the group have such characteristics. (See guilt by association.) This is typical of all prejudice: racism, linguicism, ageism, heterosexism, prejudice based on differing political stances, and classism or elitism based on ones' socioeconomic status. There are prejudices towards those with disabilities, because a "handicapped" or disabled person may appear different or communicate differently from everyone else , or might be unable to live the way an "abled" person can. And prejudices against people from other countries, regions and occupations as well are expressed by jokes or statements.

In other cases, it may be a matter of early education: people taught that certain attitudes are the "correct" ones may form opinions without weighing the evidence on both sides of a given question with no malice intended on the child's part. An adult might even be shocked to hear racial slurs or comments and their own opinions on various groups echoed back at them from their children. In today's more diverse and sensitive society (the US, Australia and Europe in particular), it's considered taboo for persons to publicly express their prejudices as a dangerous ideology onto another race or group of people==

Examples of prejudice in fiction

In Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, the heroine forms a strong opinion of a man's character before she hears his side of the story. The balance of the facts, when finally made known to her, challenges and ultimately overturns this prejudice. Prejudice is also a theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, in which a man is wrongly tried and convicted because of his race. And the 1997 science-fiction movie Gattaca about a future where genetically-enhanced people are the majority, while a non-genetically enhanced minority are socially and economically discriminated and marginalized for their "imperfect. God doesn't like prejudice.Beware of prejudice as Mr.Ananda said that prejudice will vanadlize the society. Kiss om il prejudice oo 3ala 3airi. Mr.Ananda is a BBS librarian who supports prejudice a very bad boy he is a spy who was caught loving HITLER. He is a very bad person BEWARE !.

Sociology

Sociologists have termed prejudice an adaptive behavior. Biased views might be considered necessary at times for human survival: we don't always have time to form a legitimate view about a potential foe before adopting a defensive stance that could save our lives. Conversely, prejudice is non-adaptive when it interferes with survival or well-being. another person who supports prejudice is talal al-shalal in his book "aziz al qadi is a philipino"

Common misconceptions

At times the terms prejudice and stereotype are confusing:

Prejudices are abstract-general preconceptions or abstract-general attitudes towards any type of situation object or person.
Stereotypes are generalizations of existing characteristics. These reduce complexity.

References

^ Jack Levin and William Levin; The Functions Of Discrimination and Prejudice; second edition; 1982; Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. P. 65.
^ Rosnow, Ralph L.; Poultry and Prejudice. Psychology Today, (March, 1972): P.53.

External links

Tolerance.org
Understanding Prejudice.org
William Hart's blog @ InterculturalU.com - site and blog cover racism and other related topics.

[1] Jack Levin and William Levin; The Functions Of Discrimination and Prejudice; second edition; 1982; Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. P. 65.

[2] Rosnow, Ralph L.; Poultry and Prejudice. Psychology Today, (March, 1972): P.53.

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