PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION: SURVIVAL MECHANISM THAT HANDICAPS US

You may think you are not prejudiced and that you do not discriminate, but you are deluded.  Of course you are and you do.  You needn't feel ashamed as everyone else is in the same boat.  While I will argue prejudice is a survival mechanism, it and discrimination are also severe handicaps on human survival.

All humans are not the same and it doesn't take us long to start noticing the differences.  Perhaps the first noted distinction is size.  Parents and other adults are big and we are dependent on them.  Gradually we learn which ones we can count on to help us.  Most of us are carefully protected, but gradually we are allowed some independence as we learn to eat on our own, walk and assert our desires.  Our pre historic ancestors could only survive if they could fight or flee in an instant.  The word discriminate should be qualified in some cases when it refers predominantly to racial, religious or some other narrow criteria.  We still need to discriminate regarding honesty, reliability, maturity, friend/enemy or we can easily get into a series of poor decisions that will limit our future options.

At the University of Guelph, one of my courses was titled "Prejudice and Discrimination" and was very well taught.  The professor made the point that we absorb a pride in whatever group we identify with, but that naturally also comes with the feeling that we are somehow better than other groups.  We were assigned a major essay on what we were prejudiced about.  Although I lived at various times with my two grandmothers I chose old people.  At the time a popular tv show, "Laugh In" had a regular sketch about a dirty old man while at the other extreme wealthy elderly men were always stealing attractive young women.  Women were tagged as old hags.  Now that I am in the category I directly know that there is age discrimination and also that I, like everyone else have a first impression of every new face that effects my decisions.  Race is only one category and other categories that we judge include age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, handicapped, dress, etc. etc. etc.  In today's society people decide to blend in or in at least some way stand out and either way someone will inwardly pre judge you.

In addition to fear or disgust with the "other" we all feel a pressure to conform.  Conforming is just a short cut decision to avoid examining any person or issue more closely and maintaining the comfortable status quo.

We learn to identify differences in appearance, then in behavior, then with beliefs.  Beliefs include not only religion and politics, but also sports teams and musical bands.  Do you still think you are without prejudice and don't discriminate?  Trust is very important and obviously those similar in appearance, behavior and beliefs are easier to trust. 

As an adult finding myself in a career where I needed to understand horse owners in order to sell ads I stumbled on a book about breeding horses for color.  Fascinating and attractive, the author pointed out that it was more important to breed for behavior and performance, but many owners gravitated to horses that were attractive.  Many of us respond to color and appearance with our pets.  One of my favorite cats is black and white and it was pointed out to us that many would consider him black and avoid him for all the witch connotations.

Some "whites" joke that all Chinese look alike.  One of my son's closest friends in the elementary grades showed up very unexpectedly in another city in an adult setting and perhaps because he had spent a lot of time at our house I recognized and talked to him, but I took sort of a perverse pride in my ability.  I am not so good at picking out some Asians I know from a crowd, depending on my familiarity.  Among Europeans we notice slight changes in skin tones, hair color, hair styles.  As we become more familiar with our non European friends and acquaintances we learn to appreciate their unique qualities.

Everyone holds some ideas as integral to who they are.  "The Righteous Mind" by Jonathan Haidt made me realize prejudice still steers my thinking. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/the-righteous-mind.html   A current prejudice I hold is that anyone who supports Donald Trump must be stupid and/or prejudiced.  Or maybe with some vested interest.  I am aware that some people feel "stupidity" is a charitable term used to avoid saying they are evil, a term that perhaps we hold in more contempt.




Irshad Manji, suggests you might ask "Could you help me understand what I am missing about your perspective?"  It won't work unless you are sincere and follow up.  Not every one will respond but some would welcome an opportunity to explain themselves.  This is not a time to attack their logic, but to delve further.  When people feel degraded it lights a fuse that can lead to a lot of harm.  Check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/08/dont-label-me-is-for-everyone_11.html

Abraham Lincoln once said "I don't like that man, I must get to know him better."  First impressions are not always accurate.

National unity or group unity has always been important, but it is time to wake up to the fact that diversity is critical to finding and accepting solutions to the civilization threatening global problems such as nuclear proliferation, climate change, pandemics, pollution and sex and drug trafficking,

Embrace the differences  We are all unique individuals with a blend of factors that include body type, style, age, sex, awareness and background, temperament and oh yes, race.  Humans regarding new things tend to fall into three categories, those of us who are attracted to new things, those of us who are repelled by new things and the majority who are open to new things, but wait until someone else expresses an interest.  Most of us have different dispensations depending on the issue.  You can't do much about your natural inclination, but you should make a conscious effort to be more open.  Read more:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/08/new-understanding-our-need-for-novelty.html  Enrich your life.


photo by Marshall Davidson

CHARITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT IN DESPERATE TIMES

Ideas are a luxury in desperate times.  A core function of society is agriculture (while its predecessor hunting and gathering is still a sub set) and it might be argued that energy is even more basic.  The Covid 19 pandemic is reminding us that survival cannot be taken for granted.  Focusing on survival shunts aside many endeavors that we now better appreciate are really luxuries.  Luxuries are what we are able to indulge in when we have created a surplus of what is needed to survive

A confession before pontificating.  I find beggars very annoying and guilt inducing.  My experience has taught me that we live in an inequal society that favors the wealthy and the powerful.  I can now better appreciate there will be some adjustments in society's power arrangements with a lot of little people further marginalized.  Ideas are a luxury, but they are what make us a civilization and I hope we can survive as one.  This more or less summarizes my attitude for this post.

Entertainment is a luxury that is already being curtailed.  The major sports businesses have all been shut down and all gatherings of spectators for music and theatre are locked out.  We can still eat, but not so much at restaurants.  Much of our entertainment has filtered down to electronic which ultimately means fewer and fewer people will be required as we will be able to view the best of the best rather than the corner bar singers for example.  You can see read paper books, but as I am learning more of that is electronic.  Entertainment of all sorts was very critical during the Depression of the 1930's, but there was no concern about large crowds so we will be making different adjustments

Charities boil down to begging.  These are the causes that we are concerned about, but not enough to distract too far from many other human endeavors.  We have assuaged our guilty conscience by allowing the government to fulfill some of these functions, but are careful to make sure our taxes don't cramp our lifestyle too much.  Many of us have personal concerns often where a disease has harmed our loved ones and many of  efforts have been partially taken over by governments, but not enough to solve the problem.  Perhaps it is better to maintain a role for the individual conscience.  For others they are conscious of discriminated against either their own group or that of another.  Still others feel society would be better off if awareness of some cultural activity were better appreciated.

In times of desperation as right now, charities are minimized.  Many of those who have asked for assistance now feel guilty for asking.  There are reasons we should give what we can afford if we really want to keep our civilization functioning.  Charities perform functions that we all benefit from.

Jobs are important.  We live in a world where it takes fewer and fewer people to supply the necessities and even luxuries.  We still have beggars who somehow slipped through the cracks (and in some cases as many suspect, are deceptive) but they do in fact help circulate revenue.  Some employees of charities got the job as they weren't able to get a better one, if any.  Some specialize and have developed skills for raising revenues in a competitive world, even for charities.  Like the rest of us they may well have to sacrifice some of their income and some likely will lose their job and have to seek another way to make their ends meet.  Still those making a living appealing to our conscience not only help our economy, but can feel good as they are lessening the burden of others.

Research (thinking of charities for diseases primarily) also provides jobs, but not just any job, ones that are value added.  While scientists discover something to better deal with one disease they often find applications to others.  I recall learning that research for Parkinson's has overlapped with research for Alzheimers (something more people fear).  The understanding gained through scientific research helps us all appreciate how everything is connected.

Another function of charities is advocacy.  The disabled have most often been cast aside as not only not able to function productively, but disturbing for the rest of us have to work with.  With disabled legislation gradually making life more tolerable for them it has also made them more productive and everyone has benefited.  This also applies to those who have suffered discrimination and been denied a more suitable role in society.  Causes such as climate change, refugees, endangered animals, etc. are deemed important by individuals and groups.  Even those promoting cultural activities have (mostly) enriched the lives of those who appreciate something otherwise unknown.

Some people get paid to advocate for special interests (including charities) and we call them lobbyists.  They form a useful function, although much abused.  Some thoughts on their role at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/03/coronavirus-lessons-how-one-makes-money.html

Caregivers have either been forgotten or taken for granted.  Charities can relieve some of this burden and help make some people more productive.  Much of care giving is voluntary such as family and friends or just concerned citizens.  For others care giving is a paid job that someone has organized for the necessary resources and persuaded someone to provide money.

Survival is no trivial thing and we all will be looking at what we now better appreciate are limited  resources.  But if we want to retain a sustainable and satisfying civilization we need to be open to ideas.  Charities are an idea that is part of society and that benefits everyone.  Hoarding resources may seem necessary to survival, but human survival demands a more open and sharing society.  Earlier I blogged about how it seems this pandemic will make us more conscious of how we all make money:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/04/lobbyists-do-deserve-more-appreciation.html