Prejudice and Discrimination in American Society - Article Example

Prejudice and Discrimination in American Society Prejudice and Discrimination in American Society American society is a melting point for diversified cultures, and is supposed to embrace and promote diversity. However, this turns out not to the case, but encounters that only flame unreliable and unjustified hatred and categorization preconceived by prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice and discriminations are closely related because they are all form of bias, but are perceived from different perceptions and performed with different motivation. Prejudicial attitude develops the moment an individual of group makes inferences and emotional reaction to another individual or group based on preconceived ideologies about the individual or group. On the other hand, discrimination is the process where individual or group acts based on prejudices and stereotypes, which denies equality treatment that every person would lie to have (Fiske, 2010). It takes different forms including rejection of specific groups, segregation, physical attack, avoidance, and extermination. The effects of prejudice and discrimination are profound to the victims on social, economic, and political basis, which include racial disparities in working places, deteriorated academic results, social stress. The dilemma surrounding prejudice and discrimination is why the white have a negative attitude towards the black. According to Smith (2013), white fear that the percentage of blacks is increasing day-by-day; hence develop the sentiment that they may lose their privilege, which they are not ready to admit they have. Prejudicial attitude and discrimination is a plague in the America society that may kill diversity if not reduced, and serves neither good intention nor does it help the privileged. A research carried out by Pager and Shepherd (2008), revealed that anticipated or experienced discrimination continues to impact on contemporary opportunities allocation that contributes to the poor socioeconomic outcomes of the minority groups. Undermining the minority through unequally distribution of resources and opportunity allocation does not give an individual or group a privilege as it may be the ideology of the majority group, rather, it only favor them against a helpless group. Consequently, the American society does not benefit from upholding the bias because treating disadvantaged and minority in the society as an exact representation of their social cognition inferences only undermines the capability of high achievements of a society through diversity development (Smith, 2013). This misconception leads to increased crime because the minority cannot get access to job opportunities and adequate resources. Consequently, it is worth to join efforts and prepare the children to live and work harmoniously as well as productively alongside diversified cultures who represent various cultural groups, backgrounds, beliefs, and abilities in the American society. Prejudice and discrimination has on occasionally led to hatred and conflict between the whites and the minority groups, which then led to the rise of racial disparity. For example, it is obvious that a fight will erupt if a white refers to a black individual in U.S a ‘nigga’. This indicates that the minority are hurt when they are called diminishing words despite their capability aggravating the categorization based on race, which eventually promote racial disparity. The effects of racial disparities are closely associated to infringement of human rights. Remarkably, racial disparity is commonly evidenced in the criminal justice system where the race of an individual determines his/her sentence (Kansal, 2014). In reference to the example of a white refereeing to a black as a nigga, incase violence erupts and both parties sustain serious injuries, the race of the so-called ‘nigga’ will be complicated by his/her color and racial background. Kansal (2014) indicate that most of the cases presented to the criminal justice system in U.S, the race of the victim has a possibility of affecting the sentence outcome, and if a white is the victim, then a death sentence probably follow. This is a clear oppression of the basic human right of fair trial and the American society need to be in the front line in fighting oppression and upholding the bill of international human rights, which be achieved by fighting prejudice and discrimination. Increased productivity in the American society can be achieved through reducing the vice of prejudice and discrimination. Black Americans have been presented in many years with the all-bad things including low budget, unemployed, irresponsible, oversexed, deadbeats, criminals, and low life (Keene, 2011). It is worrying that whites have made efforts to discredit any person who stands up to confront the continued black oppression even in commercial organization, which then affect the outcome set by these organizations. A few black personalities have been able to achieve top positions in leadership, organizations and others have won international competitions involving even the whites. The prejudiced fail to recognize the achievements of the minority and them as inferior and capable of producing high goals (Fiske, 2010). However, prejudicial attitudes aggravate the situation of unequal opportunities to prove an individual’s ability, skills, and capability. Work place discrimination is not only perceived as an American problem, but also on a global perspective because it indirectly results to loss of productivity (Pager & Shepherd, 2008). Additionally, prejudice and discrimination acts as barriers to the entry into the labor market, which leads to reduction of economy output and income. It is essential for the American society to recognize and allow the highly qualified, capable, and productive workers to take on jobs regardless of their backgrounds that will support to maximum contributions, income, output, and well-being reducing the economic losses associated to prejudice and discrimination. The learning institutions are purposely for students’ enlightenment to develop skills and knowledge for the innovation as well as come with strategies to solve the problems the globe faces despite their diversified backgrounds. Prejudice and discrimination in American learning institutions only serves to weaken the possibility of solving various global problems from a diversified approach. Students subjected to prejudice and discrimination are prone to emotional discomfort, low self-esteem and lack of confidence, which results to a poor learning experience; hence, they do not acquire the knowledge and skills of their capability (Fiske, 2010). Consequently, the learning institutions may portal reduced performance not because the students are not capable, but the environment set by some of the prejudiced individuals. Notably, prejudicial attitude has led to frustration and aggression among students that result into a hostile learning environment, which dies only affect the victims, but every student enrolled in the learning institution. Prejudice and discriminates acts a platform that misleads a child that other people are meant to be inferior and deserve being discriminated against, a dangerous situation that may lead to a future generation of oppressive majority groups (Keene, 2011). This is the rationale behind the importance of addressing prejudice and discrimination in the American society when they are observed to ensure equality is observed and promote equal educational opportunities to cultural diversified students. Consequently, American learning institutions will produce qualified graduates from different backgrounds who acknowledge that prejudice and discrimination has no place in the society, which will result to maximum utilization of diversity an addressing various problems. In spite of the ideology that prejudice and discrimination give the majority a privilege, it comes with a cost not only to the victims, but also to the American society. Prejudice and discrimination only leads to decreased productivity, increased inter-social conflicts, and dangerous perceptions that are only focused to kill diversity in the American society. People have the responsibility to recognize that no other individual is inferior in any way regardless of his or her cultural background. There is no threat to the majority groups in foregoing their ideology that the minority groups represent bad societal image; hence, result in an American society free from inequality enhancing socioeconomic growth. References Fiske, S. (2010). Social beings:Social Beings: Core Motives in Social Psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley. Kansal, T. (2014). Racial Disparity in Sentencing. Opensocietyfoundations.org. Retrieved 15 July 2014, from http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/reports/racial-disparity-sentencing Keene, S. (2011). Social Bias: Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination. The Journal Of Law Enforcement, 1(3). Pager, D., & Shepherd, H. (2008). The sociology of discrimination: Racial discrimination in employment, housing, credit, and consumer markets. Annual Review Of Sociology, 34, 181. Smith, W. (2013). Race & Prejudice in America Today – A Series: Exclusive Company. Dailykos.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014, from http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/23/1225994/-Race-Prejudice-in-America-Today-A-Series-Exclusive-Company# Read More