How to distinguish between common sense and prejudice

Common Sense and Prejudice

We define common sense as sound practical judgment concerning everyday matters. We also define it as a basic ability to perceive, understand and judge that is shared by or common to nearly all people. On the other hand, we describe prejudice as a negative attitude, emotion or behaviour toward individuals, when, with no prior knowledge or experience, we have a prejudgment about them.

Prejudice leads to stereotyping. We describe stereotyping as an oversimplified prejudgment of others. This prejudgment uses physical or behavioural characteristics, usually exaggerated, that supposedly apply to every member of that group. We consider prejudice as common sense when we view the world in this simplistic manner.

So how much of common sense is prejudice? To discuss this, we will take a look at types of prejudice and the causes of prejudice and stereotyping. We will also look at the overlap and the difference between common sense and prejudice. We will thereafter examine the ways in which we may curb prejudice.

Types of Prejudice

There are several types of prejudice. We may base them on dominant factors such as race, religion, gender, social class and age, to name a few. We classify prejudice that is based on the perceived race of a person as racism. In like manner, there is religious prejudice, sexism, classism and ageism. These types of prejudices result in discrimination. Discrimination is the unfair treatment of people simply because they are different from the dominant group in society.

Causes of Prejudice and Stereotyping

Fear is a cause of prejudice. We note that ignorance causes fear, which causes prejudice. This may be a fear of the unknown or a fear of diversity. It may even be a fear of the members of a person’s group ridiculing that person for associating with a member of a subordinate discriminated group. The fear of diversity and of ridicule may explain the saying that birds of a feather flock together. This means that people with similar interests, background, ideas or characteristics will often congregate or hang out with each other.

We may also engage in prejudice and stereotyping as a means of simplifying our lives. Saul McLeod states in “Stereotypes” that the use of stereotypes is a major way in which we simplify our social world. This is because stereotypes reduce the amount of processing or thinking that we have to do when we meet a new person.

Our social upbringing and our level of exposure may also cause prejudice and stereotyping. Our parents may have been brought us up and programmed us to view others of a different social class as less enlightened and therefore inferior. They may also have brought us up to consider women as the weaker sex, emotionally unstable and only fit for the kitchen. These examples show how our social upbringing causes prejudice and stereotyping.

According to Kendra Cherry in “How People’s Prejudices Develop”, normal human thinking may also cause prejudice and stereotyping. She refers to psychologist Gordon Allport, who states that prejudice and stereotypes emerge in part as a result of normal human thinking.

She notes that in his book “The Nature of Prejudice”, Allport states that the human mind must think with the aid of categories. He states that when we form categories, they become the basis for normal prejudgment. She notes that he states that we cannot possibly avoid this process, as orderly living depends on it.

Overlap between Common Sense and Prejudice

To the extent that Allport posits that categories are the basis for normal prejudgment, it appears that there is an overlap between common sense and prejudice. Both common sense and prejudice are acquired behaviour. This is because we are not born with common sense or prejudice. We cultivate these kinds of behaviour as we grow. This behaviour also depends on our experiences and our level of exposure. Albert Einstein, the German physicist, described common sense as such: “Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.”

Arizona State University published a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, which expresses a similar view. It states that the tendency to be prejudiced is a form of common sense. Evolution hard-wires this into the human brain as an adaptative response to protect our prehistoric ancestors from danger.

Differences between Common Sense and Prejudice

Despite the overlap between the two, we note that there are differences between them. Whereas common sense has benefits such as preventing us from making irrational decisions and ensuring our good judgment, prejudice has negative consequences.

Kendra Cherry, in the article previously mentioned, describes prejudice and stereotypes as examples of mental mistakes that result from our tendency to quickly categorise information in the world around us.

Saul McLeod, for his part in “Stereotypes” previously mentioned, states that stereotypes lead to social categorisation. He notes that this is one of the reasons for prejudiced attitudes which leads to in-groups and out-groups.

Prejudice may be dangerous and may lead to discrimination, stigmatisation, marginalisation, violence, crime and death. There are horrific instances of people not only discriminating against other people, but also killing them as a result of racism, which is a type of prejudice.

How to curb Prejudice

We may curb prejudice through educating ourselves and informing ourselves about the unknown. Martin Luther King stated that “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”

We can also be open-minded towards new concepts and experiences, in order to curb prejudice. George Eliot stated that “It is a narrow mind that cannot look at a subject from various points of view.”

We may also curb prejudice by showing empathy. This is the ability to understand the feelings of another and to act accordingly. When we put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, it is easier to see things from that person’s point of view. As such, it is easier to be more understanding. The Golden Rule, namely Matthew chapter 7 verse 12 in the Bible, expresses this as “Therefore whatever you desire for man to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”

Conclusion

Much as we may perceive common sense as a collection of prejudices or we may perceive prejudice as a form of common sense, it is necessary to consciously curb our prejudices lest they lead to discrimination. Henry David Thoreau stated that “It is never too late to give up your prejudices.”

This statement made by Eldridge Cleaver is worthy of note: “There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you’re going to be part of the problem.”

May we be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

*This article is dedicated to the late George Floyd, the late Ahmaud Marquez Arbery and the late Breonna Taylor, all victims of prejudice, stereotyping and racism. May their souls rest in peace.

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