Prejudice Because of Ignorance : Meditation

Prejudice Because of Ignorance

Ignorance denotes a lack of knowledge or intelligence

Ignorance denotes a lack of knowledge or intelligence (Merriam-Webster’s dictionary). Some people are prejudiced because of their ignorance. It is easy to become prejudiced when we lack the right information. Sometimes when we hear something about someone, we judge that person solely by what we hear, not by what we know. We may make a decision about or wrongly because of misunderstandings. This mistake can lead to a lack of morals in our society. Seeking the truth and the right information are good characteristics of a broad-minded and kindhearted person. Broadened minds extend our limits of consideration and understanding. Unbiased people usually act for the benefit of society more than for themselves. There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who know and the ones who do not really know.

One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions

However, the ones who know may be categorized as those who deeply and really know, really know, and partially know. At one time there many people prejudiced against HIV- patients because they did not know that people who have AIDS do not easily spread HIV. Once upon a time, there was a runaway soldier who was labeled a coward. Those who blamed him did not know that he gave up not because he was afraid to be killed, but because he was afraid of killing. Once upon a time, there were many people who felt reluctant to give donations and did not want to attend church because they heard there was a priest who sexually abused a young boy. So they concluded that every priest is gay or sadistic. (I do not mean anything against homosexual.) However, that is not true. If a small portion of people in an organization is bad, it does not mean that everyone in that organization is bad. It is a common belief that a middle child tends to get less attention than his or her siblings, but that does not mean all middle children will be trouble makers.

youngest children will be “brats”

The youngest child tends to get the most attention or is spoiled, but that does not mean all youngest children will be “brats”. The oldest child tends to be a good example, but that does not mean that all of them will be. Students who come from wealthy families tend to be able to get whatever they want, but that does not mean all of them can do or deserve whatever they want, neither are all of them snobbish and arrogant. Nowadays, people tend to believe the results that have been tested or proved by researchers, but that does not mean all scientific tests are correct. We should prove for ourselves before we believe, but sometimes we need to believe before we can prove.