Sunday, April 29, 2007
So prejudice...
Before I continue to make my stand, I think it’ll be most appropriate for me to highlight the key words in this argument. Firstly, we have “prejudice” which is basically defined as a preconceived negative opinion/attitude about a group of people. Then we have “never: which means “at not time”. Lastly we have disease, which is any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society. So all in all, the argument we’ll be discussing can be said as: The preconceived negative opinion about certain groups of people is a depraved condition which will at no time be eradicated.
I don’t agree with this statement. Firstly, since prejudice is in actual fact a state of mentality, it’ll be highly impossible to detect it’s existence in people unless of course we use some form of high-tech brain scanning equipment to determine if such a mentality exist in our minds, but of course that’s highly absurd not only because no such machines exist at the moment but also because it’ll be highly impossible to scan every single human’s brain. So the only other way to detect prejudice is through the actions carried of by people who are “infected” with the prejudicial mentality. This is when words such as “discrimination” comes along. Discrimination is the act of limiting the opportunities of certain groups of people who we are prejudice against. Therefore, the only way in which we can conclude that prejudice has been gotten rid of is when its resulting action, discrimination, no longer exist.
As this argument is one of a definite nature particularly due to the word “never”, all we need is one instance in which discrimination has been stop to be prove this statement wrong. A classic example would be the discrimination against female gamers situation. Due to past prejudicial perceptions against a female’s ability to perform in the gaming world, many male gamers have refused to allow them to join their gaming groups or if they’re allowed, proceeded to sprout sexist remarks and belittling comments to the females during the game. However, the situation has since experience changes, as reported in an issue of Digital Life. Due to a sudden increase in the amount of female gamers globally, male gamers are being given a run for their money. Many female gamers prove to be as skilled or sometimes more competent compared to the male gamers. This has led to a confession from several male gamers who have fallen in the hands of the fairer sex, that they will never underestimate a female gamer ever again. This is one example of discrimination and thus prejudices being eradicated.
With this one example alone, it is enough to falsify the above statement. However, please don’t get me wrong, I am by no means deducing from the above example that all forms of prejudicial mentality will be able to follow suit and eventually be eradicated, for that is highly impossible. But for the mean time, we have to take consolation with the fact that that is at least some forms of prejudice that can be gotten rid of and hope towards a better tomorrow! :)
2:45 AM