Prejudice vs Racism
Prejudices and Racism are two different terms between which a number of differences can be identified. These two words are mostly confused with each other by many people. In the world today, there exists a lot of prejudice and hatred among people. Prejudice can be understood as an opinion of another individual that holds no logic or reasoning. Racism, on the other hand, refers to discrimination of races, considering some as superior to others. This highlights that Prejudice and Racism cannot be considered as the same, even though there is a link between the two. This article attempts to highlight the differences between the two terms, by providing an understanding of both terms.
What is Prejudice?
Prejudice is a judgment formed by a person irrespective of getting the knowledge of the truth and facts. Prejudice is a negative factor in our society which resides for a very long time. Bringing people together was a target in the past. However, factors such as discrimination and prejudice are tearing people apart, and people avoid or end a number of relationships only because they support prejudice. Prejudice serves as a factor of integration that is acquired by a person by negative emotions that include hating someone or fearing someone.
Prejudice is a phenomenon seen in various different conditions. Prejudice might sometimes lead to such negative issues that might result in the destruction and chaos all over the world. The phenomenon of Prejudice is being kept in minds of people both at small and large scales. The word is mostly used talk about a premature judgment about some person or group based on religion, profession or any other feature associated with that person or group.
Prejudice can be an opinion of a human mind which is not affecting some human being in any way. Prejudice is also a premature thought, but that is mostly associated with an individual only. Also, prejudice does not pose any threat to someone while racism might involve violence and threat to a group of people belonging to specific race. Prejudice is a phenomenon of thoughts that are being carried out in the mind of a person. Prejudice is not used to talk about some issue being faced by the society.
What is Racism?
Racism is another phenomenon that probably has its roots from prejudice. Racism involves relating something to a person that is not actually a part of that person’s life. Mostly, this occurs to a person basically due to the race to which he belongs. Racism promotes that one particular race is better and superior in nature in comparison to another. Racism is one of the factors that have been used in the past to promote hate or love for someone. Racism can be considered as a branch of the prejudice.
Racism is a word used when you are talking about prejudice related to a specific race. The major difference between prejudice and racism is that a person can be prejudice even if he is not a racist but a person can’t be referred to as racist if he is not prejudiced. Racism is a phenomenon whose results can be dangerous for other people. Being a racist can also result in promoting problems in a society. Racism is based on a decision that is mostly premature and is based on the way a specific system is working in a country or a society. Racism is a set of thoughts that are generated by a number of laws of that society; these may even be due to some treaty, tradition or custom of that area.
What is the Difference Between Prejudice and Racism?
- Prejudice is referred to as a conclusion drawn by anyone without judging the actions of a person or thing.
- Racism is based on a decision that is mostly premature and is based on the way a specific system is working in a country or a society.
- The major difference between prejudice and racism is that a person can be prejudice even if he is not a racist but a person can’t be referred to as racist if he is not prejudice.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Ganges1876”. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
2.”Rock Against Racism 1978″ by Sarah Wyld [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
