Why do people become prejudiced?

Question

Why do people become prejudiced?

Answer 1

Usually by those around them. They see their opinions (family's opinions etc) and as a child they grow up fully believing them. Also if a friend has had two or three bad experiences with the same type of person (by type i mean race, religion etc) you will be more prejudiced against that race or religion.

People's opinions are clouded by judgement other's make... or their opinions are clouded by fear or jealousy.

Answer 2

it is taught...usually by parents.

Answer 3

Individual meaning mostly, but this is looking it through an internationalist prospective... If you are for example mugged by someone of different race, you may end up having the fear of that race, it would not be because you were brought up in a household or indeed a society as a whole that was racist, though this of course can happen.

I guess looking it through Functionalism, if one is different from the social norm or role (in this case colour of skin), e.g. if you are a black person living in a predominately white environment, it would be more likely that the whites look at you as "different."

I dear say the answer is ignorance!  Many people since 9/11 have had an unfounded fear of being attacked by a Muslim carrying a bomb... no, it is actually apathy.

Answer 4

prejudice is a product of sterotypes

Answer 5

It's either insecurity or passed down insecurity by mentors and elders.

Nothing good comes from being prejudice.

Answer 6

Society teaches prejudice, society meaning family, friends, and outside sources. The reason it exists is the simple sense of belonging for humans. In Robert Greene's book "The 48 Laws of Power," he states that we commonly produce enemies to control the masses. An example would be a movie such as indapendance day, all humans gathered together to destroy an enemy that threatens all their lifes. They set aside all differences and views to accomplish 1 goal. It only takes 1 person to decide who to hate and someone will always follow, gradually people become influenced to fit in untill it becomes uncontralable to a point of death and fammin. So in a way prejudice is a system of control in people. This way we fight with eachother rather than fighting against corrupt officails in the government and so on. Its all to control the masses etc.

Answer 7

Learned From my Dad, but you got to try and get over that every day of the rest of your life.

Answer 8

it is not something we are born with, it has to be learned . . .by parents, friends, etc.

Answer 9

Their minds are corrupted by their upbringing, their 'education', socialisation and environmental influences. Certain indoctrination can mask ignorance, irrational fears and other assorted insecurities as 'telling truths', merely for justification, on issues that have no rational or logical validity. Its the politics of not 'seeing beyond your nose'.

Answer 10

benjamin straight writes:  There is nothing genetic about being prejudice.  It is through assimilation, culture, lived experience, and teachings that prejudice is acquired.