Reflections on prejudice
Prejudice is a pre-judgment of a person without sufficient evidence to prove the prejudice true or accurate. Prejudice is mental, non-physical but extremely common. This is one of the flaws in the human nature. Racial prejudices, social prejudices, institutional prejudices are all included. I feel that prejudice is although unavoidable mentally, is able to stop from being turned into physical discrimination. Examples of prejudices are also extremely common in Singapore. From refusing to share a table with someone of a different racial group, to students from rival schools refusing to talk to each other, or even show basic courtesy, these are all examples of different prejudices that one may hold against another.
However, I doubt many have cleared their own mind enough to see that prejudices need not be turned into stereotyping and discriminating. Racial discrimination is also chargeable as racism under the international law, and what is so wrong as to share a table with someone of a different racial group?
Also, must rival schools really be so hostile to each other? Truth be told, the prejudices between schools need not exist. Friendly competition is rather healthy, but when it turns into rivalry, then the relationship has really gone too far out of balance. Also, quite frankly, I have also observed students from rival schools actually get together and help each other, and not try to sabotage the other party’s work. Besides, having such prejudices might tear down Singapore’s defense in the future, when the current generation takes over. They might refuse to cooperate just because of their personal prejudices against a colleague, or comrade because they were from rival institutions. Singapore would then be very weak against enemies, should there be a war.
All in all, I believe that discrimination is unnecessary, but stereotype and prejudice and unavoidable.
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