The Negative Prejudice Is A Hostile Attitude

The negative prejudice is the attitude that discourages us from moving forward. Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, whoever we are meeting and whatever the task we are trying to accomplish, the negative prejudice is there to hold us back. It's almost like a third person in our lives, only it's always whispering awful things in our ears.

When it comes to how people feel about different places, things, other nationalities or certain groups, they're not always so deferential. Bias is present in many of the things we say and do. The negative prejudice is a hostile attitude which manifests itself in various forms. But how can we counteract it in today's rapidly changing world? What defines prejudice, and then, what would be the best response to negative prejudice?

There are a few answers that come to mind, but we do not want to simply react to the prejudice. If we do, then it is a form of acknowledging the existence of the prejudice. A better answer would be to see the prejudice for what it is and to attempt to overcome it.

So, What Defines Prejudice?

Prejudice is an attitude toward a group of people based on a stereotype of them. A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people, that emphasizes their differences from other groups. It's been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years in order to simplify thinking about a complex subject. Stereotypes are pervasive in our culture, they're part of the reason we're in the position we're in now.

When we stereotype people, we make judgments about them without taking into account individual differences. It's a short-cut, that we take in order to make sense of a complicated world, but of course, it doesn't work.

There are two major problems with stereotypes. The first is that they're generalizations and as such they ignore significant differences among individuals within the group they describe. That's the reason why they are often wrong.

The second problem with stereotypes is the attitude of those who have them. If you've noticed, most of the people who have a negative attitude toward a group of people tend to fall into that group. It's not hard to see why. If you're told constantly that you have no value, that you're worthless and that you're not even human, then you're going to begin to believe it. It's a vicious circle. Prejudice begets more prejudice.

Stereotyping And Generalization

It's not hard to see how this cycle can get us nowhere. The first step in breaking the cycle of prejudice is to recognize the problem. Here, we need to be clear about something. To stereotype someone is to make a generalization about them based on some quality or characteristic, that you've observed. For example, if you observe that someone has a certain nationality, you're making a generalization about them based on their race. That's a stereotype.

To stereotype is to make a generalization, but not about a certain race or a national origin, but about a certain way of living or believing. It's not something that you can necessarily observe, but you can observe somebody's actions, and in that, you can make a generalization about them.

You can't observe a person's mental state. If somebody expresses a certain view or opinion, that doesn't mean that they actually believe it. If somebody is rude to you, that doesn't mean that they have a certain disposition. Stereotyping is making a generalization about a person, not their character. It's possible to have a character without having a certain belief, and it's possible to have a certain belief without having a certain action.

Get Out Of The Rut

The key in overcoming our own stubbornness and prejudice, is to recognize that, yes, there is a better way. It's harder and it takes more effort, but if we shift our thinking away from the short-cut, we can actually look at the world with a more objective eye. To do that, we need to step outside of ourselves and look at the world not through the lens of our prejudices and preconceptions, but with all of its wondrous complexity, ambiguity and beauty.

The starting place is realizing, that we are not the only ones in the world. We are just one small voice in an enormous chorus. Everybody has their own unique set of circumstances, a story to tell and a viewpoint. We all have something to contribute, even if it is in a small way. Nobody is going to listen to our easy judgments, but they may very well consider our observations.

The second step is to realize, that nobody is free of prejudice. It's in our DNA. When we're born, we're born with a certain set of ideas, presuppositions and assumptions. These things are not easily shaken. Then, we're surrounded by the influences of our parents and peers. The media we're exposed to sends a very strong message and it does so incessantly.

All of these things conspire to make us into what we are. Some people are naturally more agreeable, than others. Some people are born with a certain set of talents and have to learn how to be modest about them. Some people are naturally more conscientious, than others and they don't even know it. The only thing anybody can do, is choose their own perspective. Nobody else can choose for them.

Let Go The Negative Prejudice And Maintain Open Minds

We have to stop accepting the false, negative and judgmental stereotypes. We have to stop taking things for granted. We are not better than anybody else, we are not smarter than everybody else and we are not more moral, than everybody else.

All of those things are used, abused and misapplied, but those are concepts that we should try to get away from. There is an inherent difference between a character trait and a disposition. It's a difference, that everybody wants to ignore, but it's a difference none the less.

This is not to say that we should be naïve, willfully blind, or that we should not hold a critical eye, when it comes to judging others. We should. It just means, that we shouldn't use those judgments to condemn anybody prematurely. We should take everybody and every situation for what it is. We should treat everybody with respect. When it comes to other human beings, everybody deserves that much.

Thank you for reading.