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Prejudice for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'prɛdʒədɪs

What does Prejudice really mean?

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Prejudice is a word we often hear, but its meaning may not be clear to everyone. So, let's break it down and make it easy to understand. Imagine you have a favorite color, let's say it's blue. Now, imagine someone says that people who like blue are all boring. Without even getting to know you, they have formed a negative opinion about you just because of your favorite color. That, my friend, is prejudice.

Prejudice is when someone judges or treats someone unfairly based on preconceived notions or beliefs. It happens when people make decisions about others without really knowing them as individuals. Prejudice can be directed towards someone because of their race, religion, gender, nationality, or even their hobbies and interests. It's like writing a story without reading the book first, assuming things without knowing the full context.

Imagine if you were chosen to do a task at school, such as solving a math problem, but others immediately assume you won't be able to do it simply because you struggle with math sometimes. They let their prejudice cloud their judgment and don't give you a fair chance to show what you can do. This is an example of how prejudice can affect someone's opportunities and experiences in life.

But wait, there's more! Prejudice has another sneaky side to it!

Have you ever heard of stereotypes? Stereotypes are like labels we put on people based on their characteristics or where they come from. They are simplified ideas that may or may not be true about a whole group. Stereotypes can lead to prejudice because people start believing that all individuals within a group have the same qualities or abilities.

You might have seen in movies or heard people say things like "girls are bad at sports" or "boys shouldn't cry." These statements are stereotypes, and when we believe in them without questioning, it can lead to prejudice. Prejudice based on stereotypes is like putting everyone who wears glasses in a box and assuming they are all nerds. We don't look at each person's unique qualities but focus on a generalization instead.

So, in a nutshell, prejudice means making judgments about someone without fully knowing them as an individual, and it can be influenced by stereotypes and preconceived ideas.

Now, think about how life would be if everyone was judged unfairly based on assumptions or stereotypes. It wouldn't be fair, right? Our world is full of diverse and unique individuals, each with their own story to tell. It's important to treat each other with kindness, respect, and understanding, without jumping to conclusions about who they are or what they can do based on stereotypes or prejudices.

We should embrace our differences and celebrate the things that make us unique. By doing so, we can break down the walls of prejudice and create a more inclusive and accepting society for everyone!


Revised and Fact checked by Sophia Wilson on 2023-10-28 15:57:45

Prejudice In a sentece

Learn how to use Prejudice inside a sentece

  • Some people might think that all cats are mean and don't like to be petted, but that's just a prejudice because there are many cats that are very friendly and enjoy being around people.
  • Imagine if someone believes that all tall people are good at basketball, that would be a prejudice because height doesn't determine someone's basketball skills.
  • A person may have a prejudice against eating vegetables because they think they all taste bad, but there are actually many delicious and healthy vegetables that they haven't tried.
  • If someone assumes that all teenagers are lazy and don't want to study, that would be a prejudice because many teenagers work hard and are motivated in their studies.
  • Sometimes people have a prejudice against individuals from different countries, thinking they are all the same. However, each person is unique and should not be judged based on their nationality.

Prejudice Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

bias bias preconception preconception prepossess prepossess

Prejudice Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

act upon act upon disadvantage disadvantage disfavor disfavor disfavour disfavour influence influence partiality partiality partisanship partisanship work work

Prejudice Hyponyms

Words that are more specific than the original word.

bias bias experimenter bias experimenter bias homophobia homophobia irrational hostility irrational hostility islamophobia islamophobia predetermine predetermine racism racism taboo taboo tabu tabu tendentiousness tendentiousness

Prejudice Category

The domain category to which the original word belongs.

justice justice