Yet Another Example of how Prejudice is Satirized

While looking at random, stupid videos across the internet, I came across another example of how prejudice is often made fun of on various forms of media. This clip

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shows how anyone can be prejudiced for almost anything. This skit shows how a man with hiccups is made an outcast at his job. Many times his co-workers would tell harsh jokes about other hiccupers. Also the hiccuping man was often rejected from his group, and also abused. This video, funny as it may be, shows many of the different extremes that people take after they judge them unfairly. Before the man hiccuped his co-workers treated him as an equal, but the minute he hiccuped he is an outcast. Many times we judge people, and some people also go to some of the extremes shown in this clip to make someone else feel rejected. Next time you see someone being abused and harassed based on their differences, don't walk by, stand up for them and make a difference in the world.

Causes Of Prejudice

When looking at prejudice, we have to ask ourselves "why is this here?" In reality, prejudice only exists due to our own ignorance. Many times when we look at ourselves, we characterize our attributes to help distinguish between one another. Be it hair color, eye color, skin color, or height, we notice these subtle differences. After noticing these differences, people tend to generalize about each other with the same hair color, or eye color. Sometimes they begin to hate one another based on nothing but how they look, whether right or wrong it often happens.

What's most detrimental about these generalization would be most people develop an irrational fear or hatred towards someone. Frequently people will notice a persons skin color, and absolutely refuse to talk to them. How can this advance us as people? Throughout America's history we have been trying to amend our wrongs and to bring all people of all races together. All has prejudice accomplished is to reinstate those irrational fears and hatred.

Unless we move past these simplistic opinions, then we will never be able to successfully move towards a united, entirely integrated society. Prejudice and descrimination act as walls to stop what we have tried so hard to succeed.

Media Prejudice

Marriam-Webster defines prejudice as a preconceived judgment or opinion. We see this judgment every single day, but little did I know that prejudice is often satirized in today's media. Last weekend I was watching Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. This movie is overflowing with all of the different kinds of prejudice seen today. One instance is when Harold and Kumar are driving away from the federal police, and they crash into a fire hydrant. Normally this wouldn't be a complete catastrophe, but the fire hydrant was in a ghetto neighborhood. After crashing, a series of upset looking black men approach their car. Harold and Kumar freak out thinking that they are going to get mobbed and leave the scene, running for their lives. The group of black men around the car were in reality just checking to make sure everything was alright. Whether prejudice is taking place on the big screen, or in our own neighborhood, we know it's wrong yet we frequently make jokes about it, or often laugh about it. Something needs to be done to move past these elimentary instincts that plague our so called "advanced" society.

Unknown Strangers

Every day, you walk around at school, anywhere in public. When you see someone that looks the slightest bit different, you focus on them. As soon as you see them, you already have an idea of how they act and what they do. For example, when I was walking down the hallway last week, I noticed a kid with a mohawk. As I thought about this kid, I figured he must listen to punk music, probably raised by bad parents, and eager to express themselves with their style. But after really listening to the kid who I realized was in one of my classes later on in the day, I noticed that I had him all wrong. No matter where we go, no matter what we do when you see someone you judge them. What makes you different from the others is whether or not you still give those people a chance. Ignore whatever preconceived notions you have about a person, and talk to them, get to know them. You may be really surprised about who they are despite how they dress. Alot of people act tough or guarded when walking alone, but when you really talk to them, you will be surprised at what you find. That's all for this week....