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Were you ever prejudiced?
- Thread starter Kraftwerk
- Start date
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GungHo
Single-handedly caused Exxon-Mobil to sue FOX, start World War 3
Yeah, I had a lot of nationalist views until I actually left the country and met people who weren't from around here. It's not so much that I thought we should kick everyone's asses, but I did think that our way was best way and that we had it better than everyone else and that everyone wanted to come be American. Hah.
I think eventually I was racist against black people at one point in my life and also made fun of other kids. But I was also called gay when I was little and didn't know what it was. Anyway, suffice to say its true now that I'm gay, I'm engaged to a man now 
I learn to be more accepting but if someone starts being a racist to me I just can't tolerate it at all
I learn to be more accepting but if someone starts being a racist to me I just can't tolerate it at all
Absolutely, and I still am.
The key is to just let go of the dumb prejudices and argue against them when necessary. I admit that it's kind of hard for me to do that when someone seems to go out of their way to perpetuate negative stereotypes, but I've generally become pretty good at not being an inadvertent idiot.
The key is to just let go of the dumb prejudices and argue against them when necessary. I admit that it's kind of hard for me to do that when someone seems to go out of their way to perpetuate negative stereotypes, but I've generally become pretty good at not being an inadvertent idiot.
Alligatorjandro
Banned
Yes. I used to not trust white people.
What areas of prejudice are being focused on and which ones are not?
Wow, I just took the fat-thin test: Your data suggest a moderate automatic preference for Thin People compared to Fat People.
The test is kinda fucked up: Press 'E' for Thin People or Bad Words. Press 'I' for Fat People or Good Words
What is this measuring? It mostly seems to be measuring my propensity to be confused by word associations. I might try some of the others.
If the test is what I think it is... it's measuring your response time by associating Thin with Bad and Fat with Good, so if you take longer to respond to a question labeled "Good Words" it's trying to argue that the response time is delayed because of a confliction inside you with Fat and Good; namely, that you hesitate to it the "Good" button because it's also the "Fat" button, and the tenths of a second hesitation evidences you having to reconcile those two contradictory thoughts.
Meh.
If that's directed toward me, I didn't. Diversity in this sense encompassed a whole host of categories.
Mammoth Jones
Member
People pre-judge all the time. Not just racially but culturally too.
I was never prejudice about racial stuff but definitely had preconceived notions about people and cultures growing up and I grew past
I was never prejudice about racial stuff but definitely had preconceived notions about people and cultures growing up and I grew past
I know a (white) dude that takes great pride in having a black wife, and would be fucking horrified if you asked him if he held any prejudice. Same dude opposes gay marriage, gay adoption, and once trotted out the old 'not Adam & Steve' line to me. He'd also enthusiastically recoil at the idea fucking anyone that weighed more than a crate of beer, and had an irrational dislike of tall women.
Definitely not prejudiced though, he has a black wife.
I feel like I'm hesitating because they keep switching which button is Good/Bad, etc. I dunno, maybe it really is measuring what it claims to. I'll try some more. Another said I have a slight preference for Obama over Bill Clinton, which is correct.
I took the quiz and got "little to no difference", and I can admit that that's not true and that I'm in the "slight auto preference to thin" group, at worst.
But I know the quiz and what it tests so I'm mentally prepared for how the test operates.
I admire the creativity in devising a way to try and collect objective data on subjective preferences in this manner, but I think it's ultimately just total nonsense.
Cow Mengde
Banned
Also guilty, but it wasn't anything major. Just didn't want to get involved with certain people. This idea was planted by my family too.
Everyone's a Little Bit Racist
Everyone's a Little Bit Racist
Captain Pants
Killed by a goddamned Dredgeling
Growing up in a place as culturally homogenous as Idaho is strange. It is even worse when you grew up around grandparents from a different time and a handful of uncles that were openly racist, and frankly awful people. I don't think I'm prejudiced, and I know for a fact there is no hatred in my heart, but because I'm a socially awkward person, I'm always so worried about saying something that could be interpreted the wrong way that I come across as awkward or unfriendly. I've gotten better with age. I know gay people now. I occasionally meet people who aren't white. I get less awkward, and less afraid of coming across as some backwoods bigot.
When I was younger I had the stupid notion that black people were bad and some of the ones I knew were "some of the good black people like Morgan Freeman". I also said some bad things back when I discovered 4chan and trolling was a novel thing. Also, going back to that prejudice against gays thread, back when I was much younger, don't know for sure how far back, I remember I was with my cousin's family who came to visit. We went to visit one of my aunt's friends who me and my cousin realized was a gay man. He gave us tuna salad telling us it was really good but eating food prepared by a gay grossed us out so we reluctantly took a bite out of a sandwich. We made a face as we ate it. A lot has changed since then and that thread made me remember that incident and how ridiculous that was. It may not be the same thing as seeing gay intimacy but it makes me think that there might be some prejudice there in regards to the other thread.
I've only ever heard racists making an excuse for their thinking say this, rather than critically check their own racism.
So this thread is about racism. I thought prejudice includes a lot more. English is my third language. In that case I take everything back I said and hope this thread will not be a graveyard soon.
Something can be (mis)used to evade responsibility and be true at the same time, of course.
And to answer the OP's question: Yes. I don't really think of it as something I "used to be"; I find that as I learn more I become aware of things that I thought that I wasn't really aware of thinking until it was pointed out to me. Perhaps, "less prejudiced than I was the day before, and hopefully becoming less so."
Wafflecakes
Member
Of course I am. Everyone is to one degree or another.
In my opinion, the answer to this question is complicated and I don't know if I can explain it in english. I see a lot of people in this thread claiming that they were "ex-bigots" and, as they grew up and had new/different experiences, their attitude changed. To these people, I raise this question: did you hate any group of people that you (supposedly) had prejudice against? Or, like a sponge, did you just "absorb" prejudiced behavior from the environment you were born (or raised) in?
In my experience, prejudice's "source" is hatred, not ignorance. Ignorance plays a role in prejudice's genesis as a "risk factor", not as a cause. I don't know if I'm making myself clear, but I think this distinction is important because it matters when addressing the possible solutions to prejudice. In analogy, if prejudice is a disease, education and "new experiences" (as opposed to ignorance) are only a palliative, not a "cure" (or solution) to the problem. And, sometimes, palliatives can mask the most important signs/symptoms of a disease, effectively slowing down and delaying it's possible cure.
Did this make any sense?
Anyway, to answer OP's question: I was born and raised in a heavily prejudiced environment. I repeated / imitated all sorts of prejudiced behavior that I was exposed to, but never felt hatred. Through education and understanding, I was able to change my attitudes (and there's still a lot to change...).
In my experience, prejudice's "source" is hatred, not ignorance. Ignorance plays a role in prejudice's genesis as a "risk factor", not as a cause. I don't know if I'm making myself clear, but I think this distinction is important because it matters when addressing the possible solutions to prejudice. In analogy, if prejudice is a disease, education and "new experiences" (as opposed to ignorance) are only a palliative, not a "cure" (or solution) to the problem. And, sometimes, palliatives can mask the most important signs/symptoms of a disease, effectively slowing down and delaying it's possible cure.
Did this make any sense?
Anyway, to answer OP's question: I was born and raised in a heavily prejudiced environment. I repeated / imitated all sorts of prejudiced behavior that I was exposed to, but never felt hatred. Through education and understanding, I was able to change my attitudes (and there's still a lot to change...).
I'm American, thank goodness you shook off those prejudices because I don't know how you would be able to enjoy GAF if you were prejudiced against liking your favorite GAFer!
I was a little homophobic when I was younger because I had homophobic parents, plus I had never met a homosexual person (that I was aware of). When I got my first job where I had a few gay co-workers, I realized I didn't give a shit. I didn't feel the revulsion that I saw from my friends, family, and church.
It's easier to be prejudiced against a group of people from a distance without really knowing them.
It's easier to be prejudiced against a group of people from a distance without really knowing them.
figadapaura
Member
Not really.
The older I get the more I realise my family is full of bigots. It baffles the fuck out of me. I'm so glad they didn't pass any of that shit onto me.
The older I get the more I realise my family is full of bigots. It baffles the fuck out of me. I'm so glad they didn't pass any of that shit onto me.
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
There comes a time in every man's life where his carnal desires take him places.
Places that are far away.
Aquamarine
Member
I grew up very anti-Islam and anti-Arabs...brainwashed by my intolerant, bigoted family.
Trying my best to overcome it these days, but it's hard to completely wipe away decades of brainwashing. Still very against things like full Burqas.
Yep. I'm quite prejudiced against homeless people. Way too cynical about it.
I also get a bit worried when I see a man walk past me in gangster-esque clothing. You can be white or black...it doesn't matter. If you look like you're part of a gang of some sort, I get worried. I get irrationally tense and hyper-aware of my wallet and my phone...I might put away my phone if I have it out.
It's an utterly horrible habit and I'm ashamed to say I have it...but I can't help myself. :-(
Trying my best to overcome it these days, but it's hard to completely wipe away decades of brainwashing. Still very against things like full Burqas.
Yep. I'm quite prejudiced against homeless people. Way too cynical about it.
I also get a bit worried when I see a man walk past me in gangster-esque clothing. You can be white or black...it doesn't matter. If you look like you're part of a gang of some sort, I get worried. I get irrationally tense and hyper-aware of my wallet and my phone...I might put away my phone if I have it out.
It's an utterly horrible habit and I'm ashamed to say I have it...but I can't help myself. :-(
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