Prejudice

Social Effects of Prejudice


Prejudices are unfavorable attitudes or opinions formed beforehand, without enough information or experience to reach a trustworthy conclusion. This kind of behavioris learned in our early childhood and most of the times will remain through our entire life affecting us as well as others. These consequences may be emotional, moral and obviously prejudice has asevere impact socially. Prejudice can have acute social effects such as: hate, fear, and isolation, as human beings we should all be respected, therefore; prejudice is a social cancer that should beeradicated. To eliminate this bias people should obtain more diverse cultural knowledge, suppress group exclusiveness, and encourage a well-balanced personality. However, it is very difficult toeliminate this behavior that has been there all your life. Like a disease, prejudices take over and take hold. They must be eliminated.

The “social cancer” that is the prejudice infection is wide spreadthrough-out society and has very solid roots. I must admit that I too have a strong prejudice against people wearing tattoos. Ever since I remember, I was taught that people wearing tattoos areindividuals that have been in prison, street gang members, and uneducated. These assertions were reinforced during most of my school days; therefore, in present time I feel aversion against people who havetattoos. My children have been educated thinking that tattoos give a negative impression as well. Just as my children and I many people have some kind of prejudice; unfortunately this problemgenerates many effects especially socially.

A prejudged individual is not treated fairly, as he has not be given the opportunity to show its’ values, education or actual personality. As a result many ofthis people who are discriminated for any reason may feel stereotyped and isolated as they might be denied education, public services or even affection, respect or consideration. Other might express...