Prejudice
A prejudice is an opinion formed about something or someone in advance. Prejudices are “dangerous”, because they alter people’s perception, and, being unconscious actions, they are difficult to change. Prejudices are always negative judgments that involve feelings such as dislike, contempt and fear, among others. When a person is forming his own identity, that is, from childhood, prejudices are formed from some evaluative analyzes that are born from myths, traditions and customs, and even from the history of what surrounds him. The “purpose” of prejudice is to detonate the feeling of belonging to a social group, thus being able to discard, favor or dominate other people without remorse. Difference between Prejudice Discrimination and Racism
When dealing with prejudice against a person or a group of people, prejudice is closely linked to discrimination.
Example: Today it is not uncommon to find people in the United States with prejudices against “Mexicans” (including Central Americans and even South Americans in this category). Among their most common ideas are that they are lazy, violent, aggressive, opportunistic, etc.
Discrimination Difference between Prejudice Discrimination and Racism
As for discrimination, it is an action or omission against a person or group of people. Discrimination produces inequality because it is generated from the “need” to separate some people from others. It is not always about taking violent or definitive actions against someone, the simple fact of treating them differently is enough. This is known as a disadvantageous consideration. It can even be said that discrimination is prejudice turned into action.
Example: All over the world there is discrimination against black people (same situation against Latinos, Asians, homosexuals, women, etc). In some countries they are close to eliminating it, in others they have not even realized the problem. Difference between Prejudice Discrimination and Racism
Racial discrimination is known as racism.
Racism Difference between Prejudice Discrimination and Racism
Finally, racism is the feeling of “racial pride” that an ethnic group feels (although it can also occur in individuals), and that causes discrimination against other ethnic groups. Racism is based on the false doctrine of racial superiority. When it is put into practice, there are exclusions, restrictions and preferences based strictly on reasons such as the race, color, lineage and ethnic roots of the impaired group. Racism is a dangerous, reprehensible and unfair practice. Historically, racism has not only led to segregation, but also to the extermination of some ethnic groups.
Example: Jim Crow laws in the United States, which were aimed at separating people of African descent from people of Anglo-Saxon descent from various everyday aspects, such as public transportation, business premises, schools, etc. Their motto was “Separated but equal”. Difference between Prejudice Discrimination and Racism
