Does prejudice define a person?

[Daenery]

I'm intrigued by your view on this. I mean that sounds reasonable enough, but would you also agree that there are racists who are racists just because they can be? I mean, I've seen a lot of hate-based actions in school and the outside world that just make me cringe. And you look at these people and there's no good reason in my opinion. Experiences or not.

I totally get your view though. My step-dad's mom comes to mind. She's a sweet good ol' gal from a small town here in hicksville, Iowa, and she's not openly racist, but behind closed doors she still discriminates, just not to the extent that the type of people I'm talking about take it.. i.e derogatory words, signs, ideas, thoughts, etc.

There are hate based actions that occur between people of all races and religions, and there are plenty of hate crimes that occur between people of the same race, too. Some people are just less empathic and more prone to act on their anger than others. When it comes to racially motivated hate crimes it all still boils down to a lack of understanding of other cultures and what they have to offer, imo.

Something I once read on tumblr regarding the word sonder:

n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own�populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness�an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you�ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.

If someone grows up with an outside view of a people and their customs, all they'll ever see will be the stereotypes and not the lives and people. That isn't their fault - but what is their fault is if they recognize the shortcomings of their surroundings and still refuse to make an effort to learn or assume that there's nothing to learn. There's ignorance, and then there's willful ignorance. Willful ignorance is where the flaw lies.

[Umbreon]

I don't think it defines a person, per say.
It's just a trait, or a form of opinion.

It's like saying atheism defines a person, or being a Christian defines a person.
In my eyes, I don't care what you believe in, if you're cool, you're cool.

Though it also depends on who is judging said person.
Coming from a atheist, I don't care what you believe in. It doesn't define how good of a friend you're capable of being, as long as you still treat me like a person.
Then again, many people look down upon me for believing as such, and may treat me differently.
But at the same time, I have many many many religious friends who still treat me the same. As well as my family.

So if you're a fairly open-minded person, being racist or prejudice wouldn't define a person. It's just another opinion that they have.
I wouldn't describe myself as "that one girl that hates religion". If someone were to describe me, that trait probably wouldn't even cross their mind.
My mother is prejudice. She literally wouldn't let me go to a school because it was mostly black people, and lied about our address to keep me in a different school.
But she's still a nice lady. And if I were to describe her to someone, I'd say she's the epitome of a southern woman maybe, a mother, a provider, a lady with crazy curly poodle hair, etc.

So yeah ~ my take on the subject.
If it even makes any sense.

Unless they go all Adolf Hitler on a group of said people, then it's a little bit of a problem.

[Jolz]

@(you need an account to see links)

Prejudice doesn't define a person but their level can control that person.

Everyone is prejudice in regards to something but depending on how strongly you believe in said thing, that may cause an action.

However, working with that. If you are prejudice enough that it brings an action.. lets say a hate crime for example.

If a white shot a black or black shot a white and they did it though being prejudice against one another they would be defined as a racist (and a fucking moron)


So prejudice can cause a definition but can't be one itself.... just my opinion