This essay identifies and analyzes three primary causes of prejudice in contemporary society: ignorance, stereotyping, and the human need to feel superior. Drawing on literary references including Dr. Seuss's "What Was I Scared Of?" and "The Sneetches," as well as essays by Robert L. Heilbronner, Chana Schoenberger, and Barbara Mellix, the author argues that awareness of these factors is essential to reducing prejudice. The paper incorporates personal experience from military service to illustrate how stereotypes prevent meaningful human connection. The author concludes that by remaining mindful of these tendencies, individuals can gradually dismantle prejudicial thinking and contribute to a more equitable world.
In a world with increasing globalization and remarkable new technologies, it has never been easier to learn about different cultures. It has also never been easier to meet people from different countries and learn about their customs and how we all can grow. It would seem foolish to continue to judge others simply on their ethnicity or religion, yet sadly this trend continues. Merry Browne once said, "Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom." I believe this to be as true today as it was when it was written. Why does prejudice persist? What causes us to continue to judge others without first knowing them? Some causes to examine are ignorance, stereotyping, and the need to feel superior.
I suggest that one of the major reasons for prejudice is ignorance. Ignorance is as ugly as it is universal. When we first meet someone who is different from ourselves, what do we do? Fear of the unknown is a basic human trait, but it is also baseless. In a story titled "What Was I Scared Of?" by Dr. Seuss, the main character is a little guy who is proud of his fearless nature until confronted by a pair of pants that moves on their own. The little guy later learns that the pants are nothing to be afraid of, and we all learn that things that are at first strange or different are opportunities to explore and learn.
On the other hand, Chana Schoenberger recalls a different type of ignorance in her article "Getting to Know About You and Me." During a summer field trip to an EPA field site, Schoenberger's professor made an anti-Semitic remark and seemed unaware of his own mistake. Ignorance like this from an educated man shows just how far we all have to go before we stop hurting each other, sometimes unintentionally.
Another cause of prejudice is stereotyping. The days of Jim Crow are over, but have we really evolved very far? Robert L. Heilbronner in his essay "Don't Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgment" admits that stereotyping is a necessary tool to help us make sense of the world. However, he cautions that stereotypes can begin to replace observation and eventually lead to an impoverished model of the world. Stereotyping as a cognitive shortcut can be functional, but becomes harmful when it prevents us from seeing individuals as unique.
An example of stereotyping from my own life comes from my time in the Air Force. I was assigned several roommates during various phases of training, and one particular roommate was an African American man who had a very deep mistrust for me. Although I offered to study for exams with him and asked for his help in areas where I struggled, he never took me up on my offer of help, nor assisted me when I asked for it. In fact, he was only around when curfew mandated that we be in our barracks room. When I finally confronted him on the issue, he told me, "Mama said never to trust a white man." Later that week, he was reassigned to a different building. This encounter bothers me to this day, mostly because I feel we both lost an opportunity to really grow as individuals.
A third cause of prejudice is the need to feel superior. This is a basic human weakness, but one that only proves to make us look foolish. Dr. Seuss recognized this in his story "The Sneetches," using a story of odd yellowish birds to show just how foolish this need to feel superior can make us. Some Sneetches have stars on their bellies and some do not. Those without stars pay to have stars added; at which point, those who originally had stars pay to have them removed. As the process continues, the Sneetches run out of money and in the end learn that there is no need to alienate others simply to feel better about oneself.
Barbara Mellix writes about this same issue in her essay "From Outside, In." Mellix tells the tale of her childhood and how the use of proper English was a tool she could wield to find acceptance among whites. In a sense, it was not so much her need to feel superior, but rather her fear that she was viewed as inferior and her desperate attempt to compensate. This dynamic illustrates how the need for superiority—whether explicit or masked as inferiority anxiety—can drive destructive prejudicial behavior.
Ignorance, stereotyping, and the need to feel superior can each lead to prejudice and then to discrimination. However, each of these factors is inherent in us all. Though we may feel self-conscious of our shortcomings, making others feel inferior is not a healthy way to address the issue. Only by remaining mindful of our own behavior can we keep our ignorance in check. We should never allow stereotyping to deprive us of the chance to judge someone for who they are as an individual. Overcoming these causes of prejudice is not an easy task, but by remaining mindful of their presence we can slowly break these bad habits. Perhaps it did not take you five minutes to read this essay, but if you avoid these three causes of prejudice your world will be a (slightly) better place.
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