what is communications dual ability to spread and stop stereotypes, prejudice, and racism?

Answer 1

I feel there are two reasons prejudice will always be with us in one form or another.

Feeling superior.
This was said to me (by someone who never could hold down a job or make ends meet) when I asked if he could afford the rent where he was moving.
"What do you think? I'm not like those muchachos from the other side of the tracks who doesn't even TRY to pay their bills!"
translation; I may be a loser but I'm not as a big of a loser as THOSE people!

Shortcut
I takes a while to know who is honest & who isn't, who is a hard worker & who isn't, etc.
Prejudice allows people to think they can look at someone & have a short cut to knowing those important things.


I suspect a lot of the prejudice blacks face today isn't racism in the strict sense. It's not prejudice against the race, as much as the culture. In other words, "it's OK to be black as long as you walk, talk & act white." It's still prejudice.

Example: A black with a strong black dilect will be treated very differently from one who talks "white."
(I'm not talking about bad grammer, just different phonetics.)

I think of Jeff Foxworthy's joke "People hear this accent & want to automatically deduct 20 IQ points." How many IQ points do you think get deducted from someone with a black dialect?

Answer 2

You can communicate till the cows come home. That isn't going to stop stereotyping, prejudice, or racism. When people are hurt or when their self esteem is in the trash, they are going to look for someone "less" than they are to make fun of.

These characteristics are passed down from generation to generation. A white person might not have ever bothered you, but your mother has raised you to be leery of whites. You don't know why, but you have heard her say this many times. So prejudice continues.

I wish communicating would stop all the hate and fear in the world. Instead it seems to spread it faster especially now that we have internet capabilities.

Answer 3

People hear what they want to hear.