What's the differance between a racist person and a prejudicious person?

Answer 1

A racist person acts on their prejudices either verbally or physically (offensively) while a prejudice person has preconcieved notions about a certain race (or, anything or anyone else, for that matter)... and may act on them in a reaction type of way. Many, many people are prejudice... but only a fraction of people are racist. As a matter of fact, I'd say everyone has at one point in their life had a moment where they pre-judged someone based on preconcieved notions.

Answer 2

Racist is pretty specific. They believe that those of a particular race are "inferior" in some ways. They stick to that belief no matter what.

Prejudice is a broad term. It means to be predisposed to think something about someone. However, it's important to note that it doesn't mean they're not open to changing their minds once shown that the person doesn't fit their preconceived notions.

There's no logical reason to be racist.

However, many people are prejudiced, and it can often be a prudent thing. Take the example of a person walking through a city. He wanders into an area known for high crime. If he sees a group of neighborhood young men wearing baggy clothes, swaggering and stuff, is he wrong to be on guard and to think they might be trouble and try to avoid crossing their path? Sure, that's prejudiced cuz he's got a preconceived notion based on their appearance. Doesn't mean it's not prudent.

Answer 3

Prejudice is a more general term for being judgemental. If you are a racist then you are prejudicious person, as you term it. Racism happens if you are only judging the color of the skin, therefore resulting to discrimination. Prejudice happens if you are unreasonably judging somebody and it could be on a lot of aspects like: mental capacity, skin color, behavior etc...

Answer 4

I took a class on this in college. ENIGMA has nailed the difference pretty well. Racism (or sexism, etc.) is ACTING on prejudices. Prejudices are just thoughts (that we'd do best to try to rid ourselves of, usually). To clarify further, a racist isn't always the redneck who yells the n-word out at a kkk rally. any action that hurts or puts at a disadvantage a person from the race in question qualifies as racism. I once saw a supervisor throw away an application that a black teenager handed him without even looking at it. THAT'S racism, with a smile, no less.

Answer 5

rac·ism -
–noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
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prej·u·dice -
–noun 1. an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
2. any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.
3. unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, esp. of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.
4. such attitudes considered collectively: The war against prejudice is never-ending.
5. damage or injury; detriment: a law that operated to the prejudice of the majority.
–verb (used with object) 6. to affect with a prejudice, either favorable or unfavorable: His honesty and sincerity prejudiced us in his favor.
—Idiom7. without prejudice, Law. without dismissing, damaging, or otherwise affecting a legal interest or demand.
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Both seem to suffer from a form of ignorance, but only one can be corrected whereas the other one is a chosen position. I hope these definitions help. Sadly, even knowledge can be ignored, as in my lifetime I have heard several dispariging word abounding about my personal race. I was called dirty words because of what someone saw... not what they knew.

Anyway... best wishes.

Jaime

Answer 6

There's actually nothing implicitly wrong with prejudice in its simple definition (not the opinion-laced one posted above). It simply means pre-judging, and can be a survival technique. E.g. you have two paths to choose from - one well-lit with families and children present; the other darker with a bunch of young men hanging out. Without knowing how nice the young men might be, or if one of the family members may be seeking to mug you, you pre-judge the situation. Wild animals are prejudice towards weaker, slower prey - again, not implicitly wrong, but for survival's sake. Racism, is a form of prejudice that is born of ignorance and fueled by a need to bring others down to make one feel superior. People fear what they do not understand and over-generalize individual examples to apply to a whole ethnic group. At this point, it has gone beyond our inherited survival code and is dangerous.

Answer 7

I think anyone who believes in races, or the separation of people according to religion or color or origin is a racist. Prejudices are formed by experience or upbringing. I do not believe that there are separate races. There are people who have different color skin, people who talk differently or speak a different language, but they are not separate from me or anyone else. If someone chooses to be separate according to their color, religion, langauge or cultural upbringing, I believe they are racist. A person can be prejudiced from having a bad experience, as in getting beat up or raped by a black man may make a girl of any color be prejudiced against black men, even a blcak girl. What I believe in is the individual, no matter the color or religion or background. It is what is inside YOU that separates you from other people, not what makes you part of a group.

Answer 8

A racist is one who considers another race, in some form or fashion, inferior to his own. Although racism can involve prejudice, prejudice in and of itself does not constitute racism. You can have a preconceived notion (prejudice) about anything that bears having an opinion about that has nothing to do with the 'race' factor.

Answer 9

Racist people hate a particular race by prejudging them. Prejudice folks judge groups of people without knowing them. They are very similar, it's just that racists hate a race. Prejudice can be towards groups of people also.

Answer 10

Prejudicious people can be against those who are fat, wealthy
or smokers. A racist is against ethnic groups, claiming they are
the better race as like skin-heads.