Prejudice is a set of learned beliefs and values that lead a person to be biased against other members of other groups. People are not seen as individuals. and biased people label other people to special groups. Prejudice is mostly based on inaccurate information about people. For example. immediately after September llth, a mass amount of Americans developed a hate for people from the Middle East even though all the facts about the tragedy were not present yet. There are two types of prejudice One type is when you are discriminating all outsiders (ethnocentricity), and the other is when you are discriminating against specific groups of people, in this sense, the word “discriminating” means that we are treating a group in a negative way.
There are also many forms of discrimination. Verbal abuse. property attack, physical attack, and genocide are all ways in which you can perform discrimination. Ethnocentrism & Cultural Relativism The official definition of ethnocentrism is characterized or based on the attitude that one‘s own group is superior and has race as the central interest. Ethnocentrism in my opinion is very ignorant unintelligent and closed-minded in that your normal rituals may seem just as strange to other cultures but are seen by them in a more understanding way.
Ethnocentrism has been instilled in us since birth learning to attach ourselves to our cultural groups depending on them for comfort and a sense of safety. Ethnocentrism may manifest itself in behavior such as warfare, attitudes of superiority, hostility, and violence. discrimination, and verbal aggression. In the past. groups such as the Nazis. the Crusaders and the Muslims have waged wars and death over cultural and religious differences using ethnocentrism as their incentive. Cultural Relativism is an ethical theory to the effect that the rightness or wrongness of an action depends exclusively on the standards of the actor’s culture.
According to cultural relativism. there are only three kinds of reasons that are relevant to justifying moral propositions are: Standards of the actors culture. Empirical propositions which derive their relevance from the standards identified in the actor’s culture and Definitions derive their relevance from the standards of the actor’s culture and the empirical propositions identified in the actor’s culture. An example of cultural relativism may be a woman killing herself after her husband dies because it is socially correct.
Prejudice and discrimination can take various forms, including verbal abuse, property attacks, physical assaults, and even genocide. Overcoming prejudice requires challenging our biases and engaging in critical self-reflection to develop a more inclusive and empathetic worldview. Embracing cultural relativism can help foster understanding and respect for diverse perspectives, as it acknowledges the validity of different cultural norms and values.
In conclusion, prejudice is a product of learned beliefs and values that lead to biased attitudes and discrimination against individuals from other groups. Ethnocentrism perpetuates a sense of superiority and hostility towards outsiders, often resulting in conflicts and violence. Cultural relativism, on the other hand, recognizes the importance of understanding actions within the context of specific cultural norms and values. Overcoming prejudice requires introspection, open-mindedness, and a willingness to challenge our ingrained biases to foster a more inclusive and tolerant society.