How Does Prejudices Start?

[JohnDB]

I've seen real racism. I've seen real prejudice.
Where here in America the claims about racism's existence is overwhelmingly overblown (facts and statistics show minority favoritism)...I have seen first-hand prejudice exist between different classes of people.

Elsewhere in the world racism is a very real thing. Seen that first hand.
Europe, South America, UK, former Soviet Block, Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. In each case I've heard distinct comments in English or translated comments about how one ethnic group is bad as a whole.

So...where I can somewhat understand differences between the rich versus the poor...I really don't get it.

Can anyone help me understand why and how these things start?

Once upon a time I would crack jokes about those from the state of Connecticut as if they were a different race...kinda along similar lines as to what is said about people from California. (There's an area of Connecticut that has a regional attitude and manner of speaking that is truly annoying to me....

But this racism thing goes as far back as Moses. Egypt built many military garrisons (using Hebrew slaves) along the Nile River to protect itself from "the barbarians from Cush".
Which is why Aaron and Miriam? (Elizabeth?) gave Moses such a hard time about his second wife because she was from Cush.

So...is it strictly learned? Is it experience? Or a blend? How does it start? Is it a portion of a fear response?

Where does this stuff come from?

 

[Knotical]

Both racism and prejudice is taught. Pure and simple. It is passed on from one generation to another through ignorant rhetoric that has no basis in truth.

 

[PeterJens]

I've seen real racism. I've seen real prejudice.
Where here in America the claims about racism's existence is overwhelmingly overblown (facts and statistics show minority favoritism)...I have seen first-hand prejudice exist between different classes of people.

Elsewhere in the world racism is a very real thing. Seen that first hand.
Europe, South America, UK, former Soviet Block, Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. In each case I've heard distinct comments in English or translated comments about how one ethnic group is bad as a whole.

So...where I can somewhat understand differences between the rich versus the poor...I really don't get it.

Can anyone help me understand why and how these things start?

Once upon a time I would crack jokes about those from the state of Connecticut as if they were a different race...kinda along similar lines as to what is said about people from California. (There's an area of Connecticut that has a regional attitude and manner of speaking that is truly annoying to me....

But this racism thing goes as far back as Moses. Egypt built many military garrisons (using Hebrew slaves) along the Nile River to protect itself from "the barbarians from Cush".
Which is why Aaron and Miriam? (Elizabeth?) gave Moses such a hard time about his second wife because she was from Cush.

So...is it strictly learned? Is it experience? Or a blend? How does it start? Is it a portion of a fear response?

Where does this stuff come from?

This unfortunately is about identity with the group, and making sure this group dominates the other groups. Our culture gives us behaviour and power structures to give us safety and predictable outcomes when we interact. All the time and effort we invest in the group reflects itself when that group meets another group.

Put simply if there is some obvious label that describes the other group, preferribly in a derogatory way, then domination and security of our group is assured. Any outsider, because they do not affect ones own status or power structure, you can do what you like to them with no comeback. In school kids learn this very quickly, who is the butt of the jokes and has some weakness that can be exploited. Often the weakest member will be the distraction target to change the focus from the individual who is being addressed. So if there are problems, its because of group x, not actually the group or power structures that would be painful to sort out. The more corrupt the group the more this will be done.

The upshot of this behaviour is colour is the easiest scape goat for blame, because it is easy to identify. When people in the group begin to see others scape goating one group, it reinforces the behaviour as if it is true, when in reality it is just exploitation of a label and a weakness of social response. If the society pushes back that this is not acceptable, truth must find its real home, then the anger and frustration of the racist is shown up for what it is. Dare I say this is also why so many women are abused, because in the home, it is hidden and it is hard to create comeback.

When you realise how volatile people are inside themselves, anyone getting too close is dangerous. To cope rather than blaming themselves they look for reasons to justify their emotions, though these targets are totally innocent. The answer is in training people to recognise their emotional volatility and deep disappointments that can be resolved in other ways. As believers we would point to Jesus every time.
God bless you

 

[JohnDB]

Both racism and prejudice is taught. Pure and simple. It is passed on from one generation to another through ignorant rhetoric that has no basis in truth.

Okay...I hear you.
But this brings up the argument of "just because it has been taught doesn't mean that it was learned"

Parents and teachers both tried to teach me important truths when I was young. I didn't learn many of them. I had to learn them the hard way.

My grandparents on both sides of my family I learned as I got older were racist. It never dawned on me that they were because I wasn't taught this as a child. Their own children (my parents) didn't learn to be racist.

So...where/how did my grandparents learn their racist views?

 

[JohnDB]

This unfortunately is about identity with the group, and making sure this group dominates the other groups. Our culture gives us behaviour and power structures to give us safety and predictable outcomes when we interact. All the time and effort we invest in the group reflects itself when that group meets another group.

Put simply if there is some obvious label that describes the other group, preferribly in a derogatory way, then domination and security of our group is assured. Any outsider, because they do not affect ones own status or power structure, you can do what you like to them with no comeback. In school kids learn this very quickly, who is the butt of the jokes and has some weakness that can be exploited. Often the weakest member will be the distraction target to change the focus from the individual who is being addressed. So if there are problems, its because of group x, not actually the group or power structures that would be painful to sort out. The more corrupt the group the more this will be done.

The upshot of this behaviour is colour is the easiest scape goat for blame, because it is easy to identify. When people in the group begin to see others scape goating one group, it reinforces the behaviour as if it is true, when in reality it is just exploitation of a label and a weakness of social response. If the society pushes back that this is not acceptable, truth must find its real home, then the anger and frustration of the racist is shown up for what it is. Dare I say this is also why so many women are abused, because in the home, it is hidden and it is hard to create comeback.

When you realise how volatile people are inside themselves, anyone getting too close is dangerous. To cope rather than blaming themselves they look for reasons to justify their emotions, though these targets are totally innocent. The answer is in training people to recognise their emotional volatility and deep disappointments that can be resolved in other ways. As believers we would point to Jesus every time.
God bless you

Now correct me if I'm wrong and I'm sorry about condensing this into a soundbyte (but no one seems to understand things if you don't make such) but what you seem to be saying is that prejudice and racism comes from corporate guilt trying to gain power/control over another.
Giving people a target to focus their frustrations upon.

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

Stereotypes, negitive experiences, and common ground. I think these are the foundations of racism, sexism, prejustice against those of a religion, or any other kind of prejustice, (including just groups like jocks and band geeks in high school).

The stereotypes fuel racism the easiest, because often they can come from somewhere and are the easiest to justify. With or without negitive experiences, the stereotypes can be common enough to be true or half truths, (or just common).

Negitive experiences strengthen any position against another group of people. It also works both ways, and often fuels negitive responses to the group, regardless if the person did anything or not. Which adds to the other person's own resources of negitive experiences.

Common ground where if you and I are the same in one way or another makes it almost more believable and trustworthy if I say something to you against the other group.

In my opinion practicing what Jesus taught to turn the other cheek, love your neighbor, and love your enemy, fights against these and other social factors that increase hatred.

One problem with racism, or any other ism, is when it's justified. It's harder to break the cycle when both groups have good reason to stand against eachother. Like the issue with police profiling people being a reason to stand against the police, but if those groups prophies are the group's that cause the most harm, it fuels the reason to continue to prophies and be proactive analyst potential crimes.

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

Sorry, I meant "profile," not "prophies." Didn't even occure to Check what spell check is correcting my words to. ?

 

[Knotical]

Okay...I hear you.
But this brings up the argument of "just because it has been taught doesn't mean that it was learned"

Parents and teachers both tried to teach me important truths when I was young. I didn't learn many of them. I had to learn them the hard way.

My grandparents on both sides of my family I learned as I got older were racist. It never dawned on me that they were because I wasn't taught this as a child. Their own children (my parents) didn't learn to be racist.

So...where/how did my grandparents learn their racist views?

Whether racism/prejudice is taught by an individual's parents or some other influential party it is still something that is taught, regardless of where you learn it. Point being, people are not born racist/prejudice against a specific group.

 

[jasonc]

Perhaps start with the tower of babel

 

[PeterJens]

Now correct me if I'm wrong and I'm sorry about condensing this into a soundbyte (but no one seems to understand things if you don't make such) but what you seem to be saying is that prejudice and racism comes from corporate guilt trying to gain power/control over another.
Giving people a target to focus their frustrations upon.

I think this is at a corporate level and once there the dysfunctional and angry can behave like this at an individual level. It is why it is important to corporately disown racism and show acceptance of representatives and respect both ways. Unfortunately people will always use vulnerabilities to exploit and expose others, so society has also to ignore levels where nothing can be done, but be hard on obvious signs and those who openly support it.

So the Nazi's used this against the jews openly which in the end led to the concentration camps. The lesson learnt is you have to oppose overt opinions and displays when in public to show up the hatred and anger people hold which is their dysfunctional problem. Once these people get into power, terrible things do happen.

Equally calling everything racist and being silent is violence is wrong. The problem is not having enough positive examples and looking for them. So for instance the 3 women who help Nasa get to the moon, is a classic example of people achieving great things, and they just happen to be black. There are so many heros in the world, but we do not often make enough of them as good examples to follow.

 

[jasonc]

Perhaps start with the tower of babel

And God said lest they built the tower to reach heaven,I shall go down and confuse them.


Every tongue ,has a culture ,a person. Who doesn't speak the same tongue isn't part of that culture .

 

[JohnDB]

I think this is at a corporate level and once there the dysfunctional and angry can behave like this at an individual level. It is why it is important to corporately disown racism and show acceptance of representatives and respect both ways. Unfortunately people will always use vulnerabilities to exploit and expose others, so society has also to ignore levels where nothing can be done, but be hard on obvious signs and those who openly support it.

So the Nazi's used this against the jews openly which in the end led to the concentration camps. The lesson learnt is you have to oppose overt opinions and displays when in public to show up the hatred and anger people hold which is their dysfunctional problem. Once these people get into power, terrible things do happen.

Equally calling everything racist and being silent is violence is wrong. The problem is not having enough positive examples and looking for them. So for instance the 3 women who help Nasa get to the moon, is a classic example of people achieving great things, and they just happen to be black. There are so many heros in the world, but we do not often make enough of them as good examples to follow.

George Lyle was America's first missionary. It wasn't by choice either. George had never been a slave but his wife had. The Colonists were wanting to enslave George and his wife. So he caught a ride with the British as they escaped the Colonialists to Jamaica where once again George was highly successful in starting churches and gaining converts.

Because of this...George Lyle is not heralded in the history books America writes. They are embarrassed by behaviors not of their own. Why is anybody's guess. Adonhiram Judson is usually the missionary they herald as the first missionary...but he actually was a rather abysmal failure at it.

 

[Corn Pop]

As far as I am aware I am not racist as I have friends from different countries, cultures, and ethnic groups. People I can respect, ideologies not so much.

 

[JohnDB]

As far as I am aware I am not racist as I have friends from different countries, cultures, and ethnic groups. People I can respect, ideologies not so much.

if skin colour is used to call out racism I don't understand racism because it's only Melanin, the natural skin pigment so why do people care who has more or less melanin in there skin it's ridiculous. There are billions of shades of skin in this world.

Sometimes skin color has nothing to do with it.

I've seen Slavics be prejudiced against the Romanians, Hungarians and Russians.

And in the UK the British don't think highly of the Irish.

And in Asia you have Cambodian vx Laotian.

 

[jasonc]

Sometimes skin color has nothing to do with it.

I've seen Slavics be prejudiced against the Romanians, Hungarians and Russians.

And in the UK the British don't think highly of the Irish.

And in Asia you have Cambodian vx Laotian.

Korean vs Japanese,Chinese vs Japanese .
Pakistanis vs Afghanis

 

[Corn Pop]

This world has issues. We all human beings and I can respect people, ideologies not so much.

 

[Tessa]

There is a huge lack of understanding and tolerance. It would seem to come from 'I am better than you.' Where is the love?
Prejudice can be against race, religion, mental illness, gender, occupation, standing in society etc. The list goes on and on. I'm glad God had no respect of persons.

 

[JohnDB]

There is a huge lack of understanding and tolerance. It would seem to come from 'I am better than you.' Where is the love?
Prejudice can be against race, religion, mental illness, gender, occupation, standing in society etc. The list goes on and on. I'm glad God had no respect of persons.

What gets me is the identity in something other than Christ.
We as Christians have an identity in Him and Him alone as our primary identity. We try not to take on any other identity in race, social order, or activity... especially sin.
No one gets upset to the point of fighting over plumbing vx electricians...we joke about that sort of thing but that's all it is...just jokes. It's not serious. We all know it too. Even though it's our occupation that we use to sustain our family.

 

[Tessa]

I agree. Sorry I wasn't talking about Christians, they do have love.

 

[JohnDB]

I agree. Sorry I wasn't talking about Christians, they do have love.

Oh no... you are fine.
I was thinking that if there were more that made Christ their primary identity....things would be radically different.