Anatomy of Prejudice
Prejudice plagues today’s society. Every person is susceptible to prejudice; Women, African Americans, Lesbians, Homosexuals. People often don’t understand other cultures and therefore their confusion has lead them to hatred. It could be that some individuals might blame others for their misfortune and the only thing they can do is dislike a certain group of people. Ignorance and miscommunication drive people to form feelings of dislike for certain groups of people. Many different parts play into the complicated problem of prejudice; fear, personal gain, and indifference are three of the most responsible factors. If the world can recognize how prejudice is still an ongoing problem then a solution can be found
“If we convince ourselves that another group is inferior, immoral or dangerous, we may feel justified in discriminating against its members, enslaving them or even killing them.” (Parillo 580) That idea has been shown repeatedly through out history. America has discriminated against the Irish, African Americans, and at one time the Indians. People choose to judge others that are a certain ethnic group or choose a specific lifestyle often to make themselves feel better and have someone to blame for their problems. “The result may be displaced aggression; in this situation, the frustrated individual or group usually redirects anger against a more visible, vulnerable, and socially sanctioned target, one unable to strike back.” (Parillo 583)
Growing up in a racist home can change any child’s way of thinking. If a child is brought up to believe in intolerance, it is severely hard to break away from that thought process. “The natural person for me to hate would be black people, because my father before me was a member of the Klan…” (Terkel 521) C.P. Ellis is a former Klansman, who was raised to hate Blacks, Catholics, and Jewish people. There was never anyone in his life that helped him understand right from wrong. He...