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by Evan Becker on May 21st, 2004

Evan Becker

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Why do people discriminate against others based on their race, sexual orientation, nationality, or other reasons?

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  • by Thom64 on July 16th, 2004

    Thom64

    Humans naturally and necessarily evaluate people and situations based on their beliefs and life experiences. It is much more comfortable to deal with people who share my language, national origin, culture, etc. because I know with some confidence what are their values and how they will respond. The more you are like me, the more I know what to expect from you. Learning what to expect from others takes work and risk on my part.

    It is unsafe to assume how someone whose culture I do not know will respond to a gesture, a joke, etc. What is welcome in one culture may be offensive in another, so it is reasonable and necessary for me to very cautious around people who are unlike me until I know and understand them. I must not treat all people the same. I hug my kids, punch my male cousin in the shoulder, shake hands with coworkers...

    For many, the unknowns are too big or too uncomfortable so they stay in their own tight-knit circle and shun those too unlike themselves. Most of us, to one degree or another, try to learn how to relate to people with different values or cultures. Some are hurt by some of these attempts and so develop a fear or dislike of whatever group has caused the hurt.

    Some, of course, are taught from an early age that all whites, Gypsies, Jews, etc. are evil and untrustworthy, and what your culture teaches you growing up is very hard to un-learn.

    The word "discriminate" gets a bad wrap in some ways. We all make distinctions between people, that is "discriminate." When we choose a babysitter is he too young? too crude? apparently trustworthy? I will loan my car to a friend, but not a stranger - that is discrimination. The honest question is: which kinds of discrimination are unacceptable.

    Books could be written... but I have written enough.

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