Prejudice, often associated with racism and discrimination based on skin color, extends to include bias related to gender, age, and religion. Throughout history, minority groups such as blacks and Jews have faced prejudice. Presently, prejudice remains a significant issue fueled by supporters of racism and discrimination, highlighting the division between those who endorse it and those who oppose it. It is clear that racism is not innate; through promoting acceptance and understanding, we can diminish or eliminate prejudice. Globalization plays a vital role in fostering acceptance of diverse races – long ago, academics were viewed as practitioners of black magic and suffered persecution for it. The persistence of prejudice arises from ignorance as people tend to fear what they do not comprehend or find unfamiliar. Prejudice originates from narrow-minded individuals who likely lack interaction with the groups against whom they hold biases.
Initially, there may be a tendency to hold prejudice against others. However, if prejudice were truly natural, we wouldn’t be able to form friendships with unfamiliar people, as something natural cannot be eradicated. I believe that prejudice does exist but can be conquered. If prejudices can be conquered, is it admirable to encourage someone’s prejudices? Rising above prejudices should be a natural behavior in today’s society and is necessary when coexisting with diverse individuals in metropolitan areas.
To decrease narrow-mindedness, it is necessary to be open-minded and not superficial. This can be achieved by being brave and seeking knowledge to bridge the gap of ignorance, leading to less narrow-minded thinking. Education and evolution are crucial in this process. Although prejudices still exist, they are not as significant as they were 100 years ago, suggesting that racism and prejudice may eventually diminish in the future.
