How to give up your prejudice towards others
It’s never too late to give up your prejudices
Where does prejudice come from? According to an article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, two psychologists Arne Roets and Alain Van of Ghent University in Belgium cited research from an influential book published in 1954, ‘The Nature of Prejudice by Gordon Allport’.
Prejudice stems from a deeper psychological need, associated with a particular way of thinking. People who aren’t comfortable with ambiguity and want to make quick and firm decisions are also prone to making generalizations about others.
— Arne Roets and Alain Van
The human tendency is not only to categorize people according to their gender, class, power, and money but often we assign attributes to these categories.
A powerful man with money will always be happy. A fat girl might not take care of her health. A book might not be engrossing just by looking at its cover.
And, this results in stereotyping and prejudices.
Here I found few ways to control your prejudices towards others and be less judgmental.
Come out of your cocoon and experience multiculturalism
I feel coming out of your shell and exploring the world is the most pragmatic way to be less judgmental towards others. Multiculturalism helps you understand different ethnicities and experience diverse cultures.
Traveling and exploring the world is the best option however not everyone’s pockets are deep enough. Technology has opened so many avenues that you can explore other cultures sitting at your home.
Watch a foreign movie. Listen to a new band. Dine a cuisine from another part of the world. Read a book from an author out of your regular genre.
Try and get to know people of varied cultures and be open-minded. This will help you to be tolerant of others.
Avoid the bubble of futile pre-conceived notions.
Stop thinking about other people’s lives and concentrate on your own
We as humans constantly measure our success in terms of wealth, intelligence and attractiveness.
An American psychologist Leon Festinger proposed the ‘Social comparison theory’ in 1954 that says, “human beings constantly evaluate themselves with others on various social parameters. This sometimes leads to generalizations about others.”
A constant ‘FOMO’ brewing from overuse of social media platforms has only made this problem worse. This only proves that we are more interested in the lives of others rather than introspecting ours.
Constantly comparing yourself with others and re-evaluating would bring nothing but envy, discontent, and disappointment.
There is no point in poking your nose in others business when you can’t provide a solution to their problems!
Don’t judge people just by their looks
Looks can often be deceptive and reveal nothing about the back-story. Unless you are in someone’s shoes, you can’t paint a personality of their character.
I have personally experienced being judgmental and being judged. And, believe me, each time I have generalized my opinion about someone, I have been proved wrong. The grass is greener on the other side until you know the other side of the story.
And coming from a country like India where your slightest movements are being judged, the best you can do is not to stereotype.
Last thoughts
I feel society has a whole can bring a difference if ‘WE’ initiate the change.
I am trying my best to be out of the prejudice game and find these methods working to reduce or control my prejudices.
· Come out of your cocoon and experience multiculturalism
· Stop thinking about other people’s lives and concentrate on your own
· Don’t judge people just by their looks
It is never too late to give up our prejudices. — Henry David Thoreau
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