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"Tolerance"

I am just wondering if any of you guys has an prejudice but don't quite know why. I hate farmers but I don't why so I was want to know if you have this kind of prejudice.

There's some irrational thing ingrained into my upbringing. Take the word n*gger. It's a word for black person that was traditionally used in a disrespectful way. Now so many black people have adopted it, it doesn't seem to be so "anti-black". Some people still find it offensive, some don't, but even if I was in a situation where I knew no one would be offended by it then I just wouldn't be able to pass it through my throat.

I don't mind that.
I could quite easily live without using that word.

The phobias/paranoia's I was talking about aren't really to do with my upbringing although perhaps it's possible that my upbringing left me with a mentality whereby they could devellop. I've likely got a trace of autism in my character so I'd imagine that's part of it.

Anyone read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time?
I'm nowhere near that extreme but something along those lines.

Strafio wrote:
> My problem is that I know it's retarded and can't be justified, but
> it's kind of ingrained into my "instincts".

As Wookieemonster said, we all have some prejudices. All we can do is ask ourselves why, think about them, try to minimize them or resolve them - not let them harden into something that influences our minds in an extreme way. Granted this is difficult, especially when some prejudices seem (as you say) "ingrained in our instincts".

Strafio wrote:

> My problem is that I know it's retarded and can't be justified, but
> it's kind of ingrained into my "instincts".

It's probably about upbringing as well - if you're around people who are prejudice as you grow up you're more likely to have those prejudices as well. Even when you're an adult you know it's wrong but for some reason you can't shrug it off and it's always in your subconscious.

illphukiir wrote:
> I guess that's more racist than prejudice though.

Racism is just one example of prejudice.
It's seen the least acceptable because:
a) A person has no control over what race they were born from.
b) It's been the focus of a lot of problems so it's widely recognised.

Black Glove wrote:
> The way I see it is there's nothing much wrong with having prejudices,
> just as long as you are aware of why you have them, and that you can
> smithereen them any time you choose to.

It's not quite that simple, but if I recognise them I can atleast make sure they don't get the better of me, that I ignore them as irrational and don't act on them.

> If you find yourself disliking someone, something, a group of people,
> whatever - ask yourself why. Trace it back to its genesis. Think about
> it long enough and you'll probably see through it. Then again, you'll
> probably just justify it further.

My problem is that I know it's retarded and can't be justified, but it's kind of ingrained into my "instincts". Bad mental habits and phobias. There's some people/types of people that I feel uncomfortable/intimidated around - like some kind of phobia/paranoia. It goes away when I'm drunk, so perhaps it's a very shallow problem and I'm starting to practice Buddhist breathing exercises so I might manage to work on my mental health that way too.

I might pop this in 6 months, see if I've come anywhere with it. :-)

Everybody has a prejudice of some kind, even if they don't like to admit it.

Everybody has some kind of person they don't like, whether that's because they're black, brown, white, oriental, olive-skinned, male, female, or because they're northerners, southerners, speak a different language or because of their background or beliefs.

We all hate somebody for some reason, but some prejudices are deemed more acceptable than others. You can try it for yourself. Make a post using the 'n' or 'p' words - not specifically here, but on any forum - and it'll be deleted and/or you'll get flamed, possibly banned. And so you should. Yet make that same post again, substituting in 'gyppo', 'pikey' or 'chav', and the chances are it will remain untouched, with a large number of people agreeing with you.

The way I see it is there's nothing much wrong with having prejudices, just as long as you are aware of why you have them, and that you can smithereen them any time you choose to.

If you find yourself disliking someone, something, a group of people, whatever - ask yourself why. Trace it back to its genesis. Think about it long enough and you'll probably see through it. Then again, you'll probably just justify it further.

A lot of my friends don't like pakistanis for some reason, not sure why..?

I guess that's more racist than prejudice though.



EDIT : I put in pákis and I was told that's not allowed to be used but pakistanis is? Now that's what I call racist, not being able to use an abbreviation of a word.

Black Glove wrote:
> I have lots of prejudices, but like those creamy summer butterflies
> they never last that long.


Maybe there's the possibility you could eliminate each prejudice at the caterpillar stage...

I have lots of prejudices, but like those creamy summer butterflies they never last that long.
Prejudices are like windows or sunglasses - they're there to be seen through.

What further pretentious things can I say about prejudice? ... How about: a person who harbours lifelong prejudices is an idiot.

Fortunately I do not want to make love to Shigsy Miyamoto or Mario. Hence
ME=not Dringo