Prejudice and Descrimination Essay Example for Free

Prejudice and Descrimination Essay Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination are a part of everyday lives. A set of generalized beliefs and expectations about a specific group and its members is known as stereotyping. Stereotyping can often times lead to prejudice, a negative, or positive, evaluation of a group and its members. Common stereotypes and forms of prejudice involve racial, religious, and ethnic groups. Acting on these negative stereotypes results in discrimination which is a behavior directed towards individuals on the basis of their membership in a particular group. (Feldman, 2010) Throughout this paper I will discuss why prejudice and discrimination exist, some examples throughout history and how to reduce it. Where does prejudice and discrimination come from? According to Robert S Feldman â€Å"No one has ever been born disliking a specific racial, religious, or ethnic group. † (Feldman, 2010) People learn to hate. Stereotyping and prejudice behaviors come from parents, other adults, and peers. At a young age children are taught to have negative feelings about members of various groups. This learning starts as early as the age of three. The mass media also teaches about stereotyping, not just for children but for adults as well. When inaccurate portrayals are a primary source of information about a minority group, they can lead to unfavorable stereotypes. (Feldman, 2010) Throughout history we have seen many examples of prejudice and discrimination. A well known example would be the Holocaust. During 1939 through 1945 Adolf Hitler was obsessed with clearing Germany of all foreign races including the Jewish population. Hitler believed that the Jewish citizens were keeping the country from prospering economically, politically, and socially. Because of this Hitler began to abolish German Jews and at the end of 1945 nearly six million Jewish people were murdered because of Hitler’s discrimination (RB 66). The Holocaust may have taken place more than fifty years ago in another country, but prejudice and discrimination is still alive today all over the United States. The September 11th terrorist attacks have caused stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination to occur towards the Muslim religion. The Muslim religion follows the 6 Pillars of Islam, the last pillar is Jihad. Many Americans have the idea that Jihad means â€Å"Holy War† and that it is part of the Muslim religion to attack and terrorize other religions, when in fact Jihad means â€Å"The obligation to strive to spread the religion over the world†. Many religions also believe it is there duty to teach their religion, just how Christians have missionaries. Both of these examples show just how serious discrimination can be. How can the world diminish prejudice and discrimination? According to Robert S Feldman, psychologists have developed several strategies that have proved effective. The first is to increase contact between the target of stereotyping and the holder of the stereotype research shows that increasing the amount of interaction between groups can reduce negative stereotyping. The second is to make values and norms against prejudice more conspicuous. Just reminding people about the values they already hold regarding equality and fair treatment of others. Similarly, people who hear others making strong, anti-racism statements are subsequently more likely to strongly condemn racism. The third and most direct means of changing stereotypical and discriminatory values is providing information about the targets of stereotyping. Educate people to be more aware of positive characteristics of targets of stereotyping. (Feldman, 2010) Prejudice and discrimination is all around us. No one is born to discriminate. Parents, peers and even mass media are teaching children as young as three to discriminate towards various groups of people. History has shown us just how far one person’s prejudice can go. It starts out as a basic stereotype towards one group of people and evolves into hate and discrimination that takes years to stop. Fortunately psychologists have seen the damage of prejudice and discrimination and have found that increase contact, demonstrating positive values against prejudice, and education are ways to reduce it. (Feldman, 2010) Although prejudice and discrimination continues to exist Gandhi, Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King have been strong examples of how to reduce it one day at a time. . Resources Botwinick, Rita. A History of the Holocaust. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004. Friedman, N. L. (1985). Teaching about the holocaust. (4 ed. , Vol. 12). American Sociological Association. Feldman, R. S. (2010). Psychology and your life. (p. 584). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Gilbert, D. T. , Fiske, S. T. , Lindzey, G. (1998). The handbook of social psychology . (4 ed. , Vol. 2). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Fossil Fuels: Are they Worth the Cost? :: Environmental Issues Energy Resources Essays

Fossil Fuels: Are they Worth the Cost? Fossil fuels are a very important part of our society today. Natural gas, Coal, and oil are the world’s primary and most important source of energy. â€Å"90% of the energy we use in this country [USA] comes from fossil fuels.† (Source 3) Unfortunately, there are costs of using these fossil fuels to run our society. Some costs are obvious such as the cost of labor, equipment and supplies needed to extract, refine and transport the fossil fuels. These costs are taken care of in electricity bills, in the price of gasoline for automobiles and other governmental and company funding. There are many other costs that are less obvious. These costs are the effects fossil fuels have on our environment and on human health. Air pollution caused by the burning of coal and oil as well as dust in mines is causing problems for human health. The environment is suffering from acid rain, global warming and water and air pollution. Many times, the costs go unpaid for a nd unnoticed. It is imperative that we as a society take responsibility and strive to reduce the negative effects of fossil fuels on our environment. The global warming is a major environmental issue that is caused by the use of fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is emitted. It captures heat in the earth’s atmosphere. What is happening is that the more carbon dioxide emitted the warmer the earth’s climate is getting. I know some may be thinking that warm weather is great! Keep the global warming and the carbon dioxide coming! Global warming, however, is seriously dangerous for our society, economy, and our environment. Global warming can cause coastal cities to go under water due to a rise in sea level because of melting glaciers. Agriculture will be greatly affected as well. If temperatures keep rising, farmers will have to go through more extreme droughts. Global warming is caused by the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and has many adverse effects on the environment, our societies, and our economies. Another cost of fossil fuels is air pollution.

Curley’s Wife Om Thesis Paper

What does it mean to be a victim of loneliness? Merriam-Webster defines it as â€Å"being without company; cut off from others†. In the novel Of Mice and Men we see one character experiencing true loneliness, Curley’s wife. Set in the 1930’s, during the Great Depression, on a ranch in California, Of Mice and Men follows the journey of two men. When these two men, George and Lennie, come to work on the ranch, it sends the whole ranch in a new direction. Curley’s wife just hopes that she can find a companion, and who better than new people. But one thing always stands in her way, her loneliness.Curley’s wife is a major victim of loneliness because of her failed dreams, her struggle to be someone’s friend, and her lack of love. Curley’s wife had a big dream all set up in her mind. The only problem is that it never happened. She came so close to coming to her dreams, but then it was all taken away. From a young age, Curley’s wife wa nted to be a famous movie-star. She dreamed of being around all the big directors, and completely changing her life. She had met with a few directors and all said she had that â€Å"twinkle† in her eyes that would win a crowd.She almost had the opportunity to go to Hollywood, she just had to wait for a letter. Unfortunately, that is all she did, wait, and wait, and wait. It never arrived. She went so far as to blame her mother saying she took the letter because she didn’t want her to fulfill her dreams. With all of this said and done, she left her hometown and found the Ranch. This failed dream of being a movie-star made Curley’s wife very depressed and lonely. She married Curley just because she wanted another person to fill the void of her lost dreams. The only problem is that she is very distant from her husband.It sent her deeper into loneliness. Curley’s wife comes off as a tramp and flirtatious to all the men on the ranch. They all tell George and L ennie to stay away from her, that she only causes trouble. But in reality, all she wants is a companion. When talking to Lennie, alone, in the barn on the ranch, Lennie repeats one sentence over and over to Curley’s wife. â€Å"‘George says I ain’t to have nothing to do with you–talk to you or nothing’† (Steinbeck 86). Everyone just seems to be shoving Curley’s wife away. All of these men keep portraying her as a troubled girl, and it makes her relationship with everyone difficult.She just wants someone to be her friend, and without one, she is lonely. Ever since she left Salinas, Curley’s wife has always lacked love. She loved the director that came to visit her and told her he would write to her. But when she never got the letter, it was almost as if she gave up on love. She married Curley, but it wasn’t real love. She married him because she wanted another person in her life. She wanted to be part of something. But she is never with him, and she is never with anyone for that matter. Neither of them try to show love to each other. But Curley’s wife lacked the love she thought she deserved.Katharine Gammon explains the psychology of loneliness and how a lack of love affects us,â€Å"The reasons trace back to humanity's evolutionary history, when people needed each other to stay alive. Loneliness doesn't just make people feel unhappy, it actually makes them feel unsafe — mentally and physically. † Curley’s wife feels not only unhappy, but unsafe. People are portraying her as something she isn’t and she isn’t getting credit for the things she does have/do. They are just making her feel more lonely. Some may believe that Curley’s wife’s actions set her up for her troubles and even her death.They may believe that she was just a tramp and troubled girl who had it coming to her. But while some may believe that, Curley’s wife was indeed a vict im of loneliness because she believed in her dreams, and they were crushed. She wanted to be a person’s â€Å"someone† but she lacked all the love. She is in fact a true victim of loneliness. Steinbeck never gave Curley’s wife a name, and that shows her loneliness. She was in extreme loneliness because of her failed dreams, her struggle to be someone’s friend, and her lack of love. Loneliness is a real feeling, action, and emotion. Curley’s wife had it all.I think Mother Teresa scored it right in the bag when she talked about loneliness. â€Å"Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty. † Mother Teresa knew what poverty was, and according to this quote, Curley’s wife was in the most terrible poverty. Work Cited Gammon, Katharine. Why Loneliness Can Be Deadly. N. p. , 2 Mar. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2013. Merriam-Webster. online ed. 2013. Merriam-Webster. Web. 27 Mar. 2013 Steinbeck, John. Of Mice And Men. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 1937. 86. Print. Quotes, Brainy. BrainyQuotes. N. p. , n. d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.

African Americans and the Progressive Era

The Progressive Era spanned the years from 1890–1920 when the United States was experiencing rapid growth. Immigrants from eastern and southern Europe arrived in droves. Cities were overcrowded, and those living in poverty suffered greatly. Politicians in the major cities controlled their power through various political machines. Companies were creating monopolies and controlling many of the nation’s finances. The Progressive Movement A concern emerged from many Americans who believed that great change was needed in society to protect everyday people. As a result, the concept of reform took place in society. Reformers such as social workers, journalists, educators, and even politicians  emerged to change society. This was known as the Progressive Movement. One issue was consistently ignored: the plight of African Americans in the United States. African Americans were faced with consistent racism in the form of segregation in public spaces and disenfranchisement from the political process. Access to quality healthcare, education, and housing was scarce, and lynchings were rampant in the South.   To counter these injustices, African American reformists also emerged to expose and then fight for equal rights in the United States. African American Reformers of the Progressive Era Booker T. Washington was an  educator who established the Tuskegee Institute. Washington argued that African Americans should learn trades that would offer them the opportunity to be progressive citizens. Instead of fighting against discrimination, Washington argued that African Americans should use their education and knowledge to become self-sufficient in American society and not in competition with white Americans.W.E.B Du Bois was the founder of the  Niagara Movement and later the NAACP, Du Bois disagreed with Washington. He argued that African Americans should consistently fight for racial equality.Ida B. Wells  was  a journalist who wrote about the horrors of lynching in the South. Wells work made her a muckraker, one of several white and black journalists who wrote news stories about social, political, and economic conditions that led to changes. Wells reporting led to the development of the Anti-Lynching Campaign.   Organizations National Association of Colored Women was established in 1896 by a group of middle-class African American women. The goal of the NACW was to develop the economic, moral, religious and social welfare of women and children. The NACW also worked to end social and racial inequality.Niagara Movement was developed  in 1905 by William Monroe Trotter and W. E. B. Du Bois. Trotter and DuBois mission was to develop an aggressive way of fighting racial inequality.National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was an outgrowth of the Niagara Movement and was established in 1909. Since then the organization has been essential to fighting social and racial inequality through legislation, court cases, and protests.National Urban League  was  established in 1910, this organizations mission was to end racial discrimination and provide economic empowerment to African Americans who migrated from southern rural areas to northern cities through the Great Migration. Womens Suffrage One of the major initiatives of the Progressive Era was the womens suffrage movement. However, many organizations that were established to fight for the voting rights of women either marginalized or ignored African American women. As a result, African American women such as Mary Church Terrell became dedicated to organizing women on the local and national level to fight for equal rights in society. The work of white suffrage organizations along with African American womens organizations ultimately led to the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. African American  Newspapers While mainstream newspapers during the Progressive Era focused on the horrors of urban blight and political corruption, lynching and the effects of Jim Crow laws were largely ignored. African-Americans began publishing daily and weekly newspapers such as the Chicago Defender, Amsterdam News,​ and the Pittsburgh Courier to expose the local and national injustices of African Americans. Known as the Black Press, journalists such as William Monroe Trotter, James Weldon Johnson, and Ida B. Wells all wrote about lynching and segregation as well as the importance of becoming socially and politically active. Monthly publications such as The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP and Opportunity, published by the National Urban League became necessary to spread the news about the positive achievements of African Americans as well. Effects of African American Initiatives During the Progressive Era Although the African American fight to end discrimination did not lead to immediate changes in legislation, several changes did take place that impacted African Americans. Organizations such as the Niagara Movement, NACW, NAACP, NUL all resulted in building stronger African-American communities by providing healthcare, housing, and educational services. The reporting of lynching and other acts of terror in African American newspapers ultimately led to mainstream newspapers publishing articles and editorials on this issue, making it a national initiative. Lastly, the work of Washington, Du Bois, Wells, Terrell, and countless others ultimately led to the protests of the Civil Rights Movement sixty years later. Resources and Further Reading Diner, Steven J. A Very Different Age: Americans of the Progressive Era. New York: Hill and Wang, 1998.Frankel, Noralee and Nancy S. Dye (eds.) Gender, Class, Race, and Reform in the Progressive Era. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1991.Franklin, Jimmie. Blacks and the Progressive Movement: Emergence of a New Synthesis. OAH Magazine of History 13.3 (1999): 20–23. Print.McGerr, Michael E. A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in America, 1870–1920. Oxford: Oxford University PressStovall, Mary E. The Chicago Defender in the Progressive Era. Illinois Historical Journal 83.3 (1990): 159–72. Print.Stromqvist, Sheldon. Reinventing The People: The Progressive Movement, the Class Problem, and the Origins of Modern Liberalism. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2005.