Abhorrence Borne from Ignorance

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HAPI Admin
November 12, 2022

By Edgar Louis de Gracia
HAPI Scholar

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash

Racism and discrimination are two of the most blatant forms of bigotry. They are words that have been used to discriminate against certain groups of people for centuries, and they still occur today. What are these two terms, and how are they different? How are they similar? Why are they so harmful? Here are some answers to these questions.

What is racism?

“Racism” refers to the belief or attitude that a specific race is superior to others. Factors that racists cite include skin color, religion, national origin, and gender. As an example, many people believe that white people are inherently more intelligent than black people. The term is often used as an insult against people who express these beliefs. Examples of racist behavior include stereotyping a group of people, discriminating against them based on their race, or denying them their rights because of their race. Some argue that this kind of discrimination is hardwired into our brains and therefore cannot be avoided, while others claim that it can be overcome through education and understanding.

The cause of racism is rooted in ignorance and misinformation about other people and cultures. It is often passed down from generation to generation in families, and it is commonly rooted in fear. As long as people are unaware of other cultures and continue to stereotype and discriminate based on these differences, racism and other forms of bigotry will continue to exist in our society.

Some would call me stupid, others would use the word “monkey” and other degrading phrases as slurs.

As a young Filipino, I have experienced my fair share of racism and discrimination, especially on the internet. I have had people call me inappropriate names because I was Filipino. Some would call me stupid, others would use the word “monkey” and other degrading phrases as slurs. Though it did not particularly cause me pain, that type of behavior is nevertheless disrespectful and inappropriate. Wise people know that we should instead promote acceptance and equality… we all bleed the same color, after all. To make an analogy, think of the different colors of eggs: they may look different from each other but at the end of the day, if you crack one and see what is inside, you’ll see that they are no different from each other.

What is discrimination?

Discrimination is defined as the act of treating someone unfairly due to their membership in a particular group. It can also refer to the practice of giving preferential treatment to certain groups over others. For example, an employer may discriminate against an employee based on race and gender. This term is used when a certain group of people sees another group in a negative light, be it because of their culture, sex, or gender.

Much like racism, the cause of discrimination is based on prejudice and stereotyping a certain group of people (intentionally or otherwise). To clearly differentiate prejudice and stereotyping, here’s an explanation. Prejudice is a lens we see through; regardless of whether a prejudiced person is presented with the facts, their perception will never change. Stereotypes, on the other hand, can vanish if a person is proven wrong about something.

I have had some unfortunate experiences with discrimination as well. I have experienced being excluded from joining events and being ridiculed for simply belonging to a certain group of people. At one point, I was excluded from a certain Discord server because I was Filipino (which I ended up being grateful for as I fear I would’ve been turned away by unwelcoming individuals). It is not right to treat others in a negative way just because they are different than you – in this, we see how discrimination has a fine line with racism.

As human beings, it is our duty and responsibility to do away with these kinds of behaviors and to shape an environment where everyone can live together, free from the hatred that is borne of ignorance.