Good and Bad Discrimination Essay

When the word discrimination is brought up there is an automatic negative response, due to the fact that most have this idea that there is only bad discrimination. This comes from people using stereotypes and being prejudice which creates detrimental situations. However, when a person discriminates it does not mean they are trying to be harmful. Discrimination is when one distinctively favors or is against certain groups, categories, people, and classes and or things that may come from them. Discrimination it’s self is not bad, but the things that can stem from it, are actually what makes people look at it negatively. People discriminate for many reasons such as religion, race, and even for business and employment. It is one thing to have a preference over something else but to actually deny a person over what race, or religion they are is perverse. Now there are some positives when decisions are made about things depending on an individual’s race or religion. There are people who only want to date or marry to the same race, religion, culture, category, class, and things like that. And that does not always mean that they are being racist, stereotypical, prejudice or anything of that nature but that they simple are particular. There are even laws that require for workplaces to accommodate for their employees religion just along their religious practices will not bring problems to the employer. However, in the eyes of the employer they may feel as though if they indeed hire someone with certain beliefs that conflict may arise even if they are unintentional, and a decision maybe made to avoid that. Which is a decent argument but it still is a form of discrimination. One of the biggest reasons people discriminate is that they are actually afraid of what they may or may not understand. â€Å"The fear of that which is different, that which we do not understand, could have been an adaptive strategy early on in our history† (Why Does Discrimination Occur?. Ehow. com ). Instead of learning how to live with something and become more educated about it they cast it out. Especially if it is something that it out of the norm, or different. Such as homosexuality, a lot of people are homophobic. They have an unreasonable fear of homosexuals and which they may have their reasons as to why. Some people take it past the limits to make people are attracted to the same sex feel different, unaccepted, or unwanted all because they are ignorant of that culture. They have no idea what it is like and instead of trying to comprehend, they use negativity. Now there is nothing wrong with not being gay, and disagreeing with it but an opinion does not have to be expressed in a way that may be harmful. Just because a person is not apart of a certain group does not excuse the act of disrespecting another group or category. A lot of individuals will argue that it is simply wrong, and that it should not be permitted due to religious reasoning. Yes, that does make a lot of since, but I am very sure that many people do things that go against their religion all the time, they just happen to be discrete. Some people are afraid or have been brought up to not over step the boundaries so when others do not abide by the same rules they are automatically looked down upon. Society assigns everyone a certain social identity. Which ever category a person is placed they tend to accept others who are from the same group as they are. Prejudice is derived from our tendency to divide world into ‘us’ and ‘them†( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). This causes great division between people which is one of the reasons why a lot of people categorize other individuals. Being that prejudice, discrimination, and stereotype are in society there are social aspects and effects. â€Å"Exposure to derogatory ethnic labels can elicit conformity pressures with people wanting to fit-in† ( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). Generally people fear to be outcast so they go with the crowd. Afraid that if they choose not to agree then they might become socially unexpected. â€Å"People can reduce their reliance on stereotypes by consciously saying ‘no’ to association between stereotypes and specific social groups† ( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). It would make a lot of since for people to simply not discriminate sadly that simply will not happen. Either way it may go it is up to the person on what they will choose to do, but social impact has a lot to do with the decisions people make. â€Å"Social influence plays a role in both maintenance and reduction discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes. Evidence suggesting that members of their group hold less prejudiced views are out of line with most people of their group, they may change their views. † ( Musa, Prejudice Discrimination and Stereotype). â€Å"It may be conceived that because someone is guilty of discrimination that she is mean, angry and hateful, which very well may be the case. However, when we understand that within us all lies some form of discrimination, whether passive or aggressive, it should once again lead us to the conclusion that, of course, it is very easy to discriminate. (Why Is It So Easy To Discriminate? , eHow. com). Every person has their preferences, how they choose to go about them is completely their discretion. There are those who are prejudice, stereotypical, and who discriminate negatively acknowledge it and own up to it. â€Å"Each and every one of us stereotype and have a prejudice of something. Every single one of us. I stereotype fat people. I make fun of them, I call them lazy. Is it right? No. Should people suffering from obesity be kept from living their lives because of my prejudice and stereotypes of them? Absolutely not. † (Kriss 2010). Those who do discriminate have a point of view and some respectively explain them. Kriss discriminates against fat people, does she have that right? Yes, she knows that she should not do it, but she still stands by her opinion no matter what anyone else thinks. Everyone discriminates to a center extent because everyone has their own opinions, and make their own decision with different dependents. Yet and still there things that are wrong which happen to be connected to discriminating and even misconceptions. The way a person behaves is by far their own choice. People are raised differently, have different life experiences, and choose to surround themselves with certain crowds that may differ from others. There are exceptions and there are non exceptions, but being close minded will bring nothing but ignorance. There will always be discrimination because everyone will always have a preference. and there is really nothing that can be done about it. Also prejudice and stereotypes that comes with life. Everything has a positive and a negative.