Can Multiculturalism Really Reduce Prejudice? Essay

The name multiculturalism has recently come into usage to describe a confederation characterized by a diversity of cultures. Religion, language, customs, traditions, and values argon some of the comp championnts of a culture, merely more importantly culture is the lens through which angiotensin-converting enzyme perceives and interprets the world. In the past several years thither has been a growing leaning towards multiculturalism in some areas of our society. Most of these trends are found on college and university campuses.I think this is likely due to a belief that the traditional Christian American values and views are unable to deal with the growing number of various ethnic minorities in our society. Phew, that was a mouth full. Although this trend would take care able to change society for the better, I believe that it has been and testament be largely ineffective. It does, however, put one over some possible advantage over societys traditional view. The Contact Hyp othesis states that increasing contact mingled with groups can in some circumstances decrease preconceived nonion amongst them. It is possible that education close various cultural groups alone, could reduce damage similarly to actual contact by increasing recognition of similarities, providing discipline that goes against the stereotypical grain, and breaking d avow the illusion of out-group homogeneity. It would likely do so less(prenominal) than contact. multiculturalism might be able to reduce evil without create the resentment, which sometimes occurs in contact. It is similarly possible that it could help encourage re-categorization. For the approximately part, however, it reckons that multiculturalism will do little or nonhing to get dislodge of prejudice and discrimination.Even assuming that multicultural education is al most(prenominal) as effective as contact, it would not leave much effect on society. Contact itself is unaccompanied successful under certain circumstances. (DSouza, D. 8) The weakness of multiculturalism is that it only deals with a few of the many aspects of prejudice. Prejudice seems extremely difficult if not impossible to overcome in our society. The stereotypes that are created by and reinforce prejudice are neither rational ideas nor emotional responses. Multiculturalism treats them as if they were. Stereotypes are the firmness of purpose of cognitive processes that are, by their very nature, difficult to change. Information that is inconsistent with stereotypes is unremarkably forgotten, ignored, disregarded or devalued. One could be aware that less than 20% of Americans arrested on drug charges are glowering, and could feel some sort of brothership with humankind, and heretofore be afraid of being mugged by a crack cabbage in a black neighborhood. (Steeh, C & Schuman, H. 344) For example, I do not consider myself to be a racist. I occupy a Chinese friend, five of my friends are black and the other is Laoti an.Im also friends with a Mexican, a Puerto Rican, Turkish, Jew, the list goes on. I hold no attitudes towards these people, which are influenced by stereotypes. Although, when walking down the street towards a black or Latino person, Ill admit that I become slightly neuronal just a little more ready to throw or bear a punch. Entering a classroom or coach people ( fair) will most likely sit near a white person more readily than a minority member. If one needed to ask the time or ask for a cigarette, one would probably ask a white over a minority. They whitethorn be aware of these things even as they happen. Even aware of their irrationality. by chance even familiar (hopefully) with the cognitive processes that cause these small discriminations, but it seems that they are helpless to stop them. (Baron, A. 180) I can not pinpoint the root of my or anyone elses prejudice. I attend now a nearly all white high schooling, before which, an almost entirely white centre of attention sc hool. Before the middle school, however, I attended an elementary school consisting of a very healthy mix of different cultures. Maybe less than half the school was white. Neither of my parents is overtly racist. Outside of the media, I draw observed more whites committing acts of violence than blacks.On TV however, I have seen blacks behave in mostly negative ways. Or at least(prenominal) I remember it that way. The prejudices, which I have, are establish on many observable traits other than ethnicity, as I suspect are most other peoples. I will have a less aureate impression of a black man in typical urban, whack style clothing than of the same man dressed differently. Give him dreadlocks, braids, or a tall floppy head of hair and I will view him even more favorably. This seems to be the result of something other than grade experience. My interactions with blacks have not been more positive or negative found on the persons mode of dress.It seems that most stereotypes are bas ed mainly on media images(Baird, R. M. & Rosenbaum, S. E. 12). I also hold many stereotypes about members of various subcultural or demographic groups wealthy students, middle class students, po students, business men (note men, stereotypical business person is male), hemp users, cocaine users, etc. Some are as strong as the racial stereotypes I hold, and some are stronger. For example, given a black pot smoker and white business major that are other than identical, I would react more favorably to the latter.When a person be to an outgroup becomes more than a stranger or casual acquaintance the stereotypes that I hold about that group are quickly removed from that individual. but I dont think that I change the stereotypes that I have about his or her group. I have personally experience very little open racial discrimination towards myself. As a heterosexual, white, male I dont really have to excuse who or what I am. Most racial discrimination that I have faced was from African( Im assuming)-American boys, with whom I shared a neighborhood with as a small child.Although never confronted directly, I was aware of the occasional cloudy look and the usual cracker reference. however this is far from common and has not had a real impact on me. More often I am discriminated against because of my appearance. I have been subjected to a few bogus suspensions from middle school, just because I looked suspicious. One time, I was called down to the office, and blamed for throwing seat-tape on the school bus. I denied it, and told them to check the video tapes on the bus, after all, there are video cameras on each bus. Turns out, not one of them had me throwing anything of the sort.I still was forced to serve the suspension, just because Ive gotten in inconvenience a couple times that month. Although these instances have affected me, they seem to have not been strong enough stimuli for me. As for reducing prejudice, there seem to be no easy solutions. It seems that th ere is a limit on how far rational and emotional arguments can go in eliminating it. I would like to think that I am close to that limit, because short of get to know everyone personally, I cant imagine how to reduce my own prejudices. Perhaps multiculturalism could help some people to begin to reduce their prejudices.But can multiculturalism really succeed? Even if people of all colors, genders and religions, were to in some way magically get along together in one community, wouldnt there still be prejudice? Some people whitethorn be looked down upon as invalid. People with mental problems and disorders would no interrogation be prejudiced upon. The same goes for people with speech impediments. They would have to receive special help, and for someone to acknowledge that is in a way prejudice. I believe that cultural equality, multiculturalism, peace, whatever, is an impossible goal.People are always leaving to be different, and thats not bad at all. Bibliography Page Baird, R. M. & Rosenbaum, S. E. (1992). Bigotry, prejudice and hatred Definitions, causes & solutions. Buffalo Prometheus Books. DSouza, D. (1995). The End of Racism Principles for a Multicultural Society. New York The Free Press. Baron, A. (1992). Valuing ethnic diversity A day-long workshop for university personnel. daybook of College Student Development, 179-181 Steeh, C. & Schuman, H. (1992). Young White adults Did racial attitudes change in the mid-eighties? American Journal of Sociology, 340-367.