Prejudice for political gain

 

What divides us? Is it our prejudices?

The Verywellmind defines prejudice. Prejudice is an assumption or an opinion about someone simply based on that person's membership to a particular group. For example, people can be prejudiced against someone else of a different ethnicity, gender, or religion.

Some of the most well-known types of prejudice include the following:

• Racism.
• Sexism.
• Ageism.
• Classism.
• Homophobia.
• Nationalism.
• Religious prejudice.
• Xenophobia.

Whats the big deal? 

Don't we all have prejudices?

According to AnneFrank.org Prejudice can become dangerous if it is spread on a large scale. In media such as newspapers, tv, or radio, for instance. Or on social media. If negative things about a specific group are repeated over and over, then we have to be careful. Especially if no one counters these ideas, more and more people may end up believing the prejudice. 

It gets worse. 

The people at AnneFrank.org warn, "History has taught us what can happen when prejudice is spread by ‘the powers that be’. For instance, when politicians use it to win votes. Or when a government takes measures against a certain group on the basis of prejudice. That is when people are excluded and persecuted. And that is when prejudice becomes extremely dangerous."

Trump took the lid off some dark places.

 Those that follow him let their prejudices take them into the darkness. 

A series of 13 studies with over 10,000 participants tested the change in Americans’ prejudice following the presidency of Donald Trump. The researchers found that explicit racial and religious prejudice increased amongst Trump’s supporters, while prejudice decreased among those who opposed him. This research was published in Nature Human Behavior.

Psypost.com shared this information. Researchers found, Trump supporters perceived that expressing prejudice had become more acceptable since his election, and this perception predicted greater personal prejudice among them. As well, “experimentally leading participants to feel that Trump supporters approved of his controversial rhetoric significantly increased Trump supporters’ personal expressions of prejudice .”

Equalityhumanright.com further defines the danger of unchecked prejudice.

Prejudice motivates hate

The consequences lead to harm. Regardless of its form and intention, prejudice always has the potential to cause harm because it reduces the value, status or importance attached to people from ‘the other group’.

Some people try to justify prejudice or discrimination by arguing that a particular ‘outgroup’ poses a threat to their own (sometimes dominant or majority) ‘ingroup’ in society. This perceived threat can be realistic (dominant group feels their safety and health is threatened), symbolic (values or way of life is threatened) or economic (jobs or property is threatened).

Can prejudice be changed?

The change can be facilitated. The prejudiced person can be exposed to different groups, ideas and cultures. The scales may fall if the individual has an increased awareness. The Verywellmind came up four ideas.

How to Reduce Prejudice

1. Gaining public support and awareness for anti-prejudice social norms.
2. Increasing contact with members of other social groups.
3. Making people aware of the inconsistencies in their own beliefs.
4. Passing laws and regulations that require fair and equal treatment for all people.

In the end, it is up to the individual to change, but the opportunity to change should be present. Speaking truth to power can facilitate that change. 

Though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Proverbs 26