Why do people discriminate?

Question

Jews, Muslims, Gays, Hispanics, Asians, Africans..
Aren't we equal after all?
Why do people discriminate??

Answer 1

Generally people feel secure in their own ethnic ambiance... Any new group coming around causes a sense of insecurity... about losing their identity ultimately... See the European traders went to rich Eastern countries only to sell their goods... but later their missionaries also marched in the guise of providing educational and health services... that ended up in mass conversions to foreign beliefs and culture.. the evils of colonizations followed...
invited political ambitions in their rulers (since their culture is accepted by the natives and chances of local support is seen)...

Hence people are always wary of other groups - religious, social sub groups etc, generally... since the new group after initial settling in an area, develops its cultural activities and starts influencing locals... this may end up in healthy synthesis of two cultures as well... but the negative fall outs of history make people by and large, to resist the new groups...

For example, the Catholic saint Constantine Beski wisely adapted local (South Indian) cultural practices to spread his religion (dressing himself as Hindu saints do, installing statue of Mary and building churches in the model of Hindu temples, etc..) Thus the feeling of alien group was eliminated and he was willingly taken into the native group....

But the Pilgrim Fathers (European exiles) who settled in America caused the ultimate elimination of natives.... The muslim invaders not only looted the small kingdoms they came across but had the audacity to destroy the religious and cultural symbols of the natives, achieve conversion to their faith by threat, etc...

The harmony and fraternity created by benevolent kings like Akbar were destroyed by their own ineritors... Thus the history has more negative influences to say about new groups on local settlements... So, it is not just a superiority complex but a security under current running in the minds of the natives that sprouts the negative feelings of discrimination on the basis of color and creed..

Answer 2

Éverybody discriminates in a sense. Evolutionairy speaking, we've always divided people in different categories and we've always put certain trademarks on those groups, because we feel secure when we know what kind of person is in front of us. But it's not natural to put negative trademarks on certain groups. That trend is mostly influenced by upbringing. For example, if someone once got his/her car jacked by a Canadian, he/she will tell their children never to trust a Canadian. And voilá, a racist is born!

Rationally speaking, there is no reason for discrimination, but we don't always let rationality control us.

Answer 3

Because people want to stick with what they know. They will not take the time to get to know someone as a person. This is a "judge the book by it's cover" society. It's the same reason we have anorexic girls running around and people getting all kinds of plastic surgery. It's embedded in our society that you will be judged on what color you are and what you look like. It looks like, we as human beings, would have learned our lesson by now, but it seems to get worse year after year.

Answer 4

People discriminate simply to feel superior than others and also to satisfy there weak conscience, and of course they need something to keep them pre-occupied............................ lol