Prejudice Works Within Present Day America

Prejudice has many definitions, but in Immigrant Works And Class Structure In Western Europe by Stephen Castles And Godula Kosack it’s “an attitude to an outgroup of individuals” (Castles Kosack 446). Prejudice can also be defined as a personal trait. People use it to express their faults or to hide their guilt. There are many different forms of bias in American culture that reflect Castle’s & Kosack theory. These include prejudices within sports, work places, and intercultural relationships. America is a country that has a history of success in business/economics, sports, and religion. Due to the long-standing prejudices in American society, employees’ fear of eliminating competition and adjusting socialization as well, there is a strong sense of bias within the country.

American culture is well-known for its sports success, including football, soccer, and basketball. Many Americans get together today to watch Sunday Night Football or play an afternoon’s worth of basketball. Many people choose their favorite football players to draft in a fantasy league or just as a conversation starter. Sports are a part of American culture since the beginning. It is a great way to bring people together. In today’s society, people group athletes according to the sport they participate in. Some people would assume that someone playing basketball is black or tall. Others might think those who play NFL football are bulky, men of colour or are black. It was stated that people of color were less likely than others to have a college degree and more likely to play sports. Charles Mudede says in an article about Black Americans participating in professional sport that “many will think this is due to black genes, athleticism of black Africans or black African musculature.” He also claims “Intelligence not only gets discouraged but it’s not even acknowledged.” If you encourage this attitude through underfunding of education, then the only remaining opportunity for black success is in the gym (Mudede). This claim about athletes of colour is related to Castles & Kosack’s theory of how prejudices are a result of history. Men and women were viewed as uneducated and unable to learn. It was believed that people of colored descent would rather do sports and physical labor than pursue a career in science, business, or mathematics. In the modern workplace, men still hold a dominant position. According to them, they are better educated or capable of handling a job or taking the power. According to Castles and Kosack, prejudice occurs because people are afraid of the competition or a change in their socialization. Nikki Waller says in her article How Men and Women View the Workplace, “A significant percentage of women feel that their gender has played a role in them not getting raises or promotions.” Women at the senior level are most likely to believe this. The data dates back to the days when women were considered less educated by society than men. Women were viewed as uneducated and unfit to run a household, while men were deemed to be in charge. At work, men may have been trying to retain their status as the head of the household and women were trying to prevent them from gaining equal power. The fear that women will be able to overpower them is what causes men to act in a prejudicial manner. They fear being beaten. This scenario may also be related to Castle & Kosack’s 3rd theory about keeping immigrants and lower-class workers at the bottom. This also applies to women who are working to improve their position in the market.

Last but not least, I’d like to discuss the prejudices that exist in American culture. This is based on people’s judgments and perceptions of interfaith relationships and interracial marriages. Some parents or family members disapprove their children marrying people from different backgrounds, whether it’s a religion or race. Compare this example with Castles & Kosack’s theory. It is their first function that shows how prejudices date back to history. People have tended to stick together in their groups of similar religions, races, or classes throughout history. In Americas cultural context this prejudice is evident because in American history segregation and division into minority and majority groups played a significant role. People did not separate or mix with other people. According to Lynette Clemetson, “the relative absence of support inter-cultural partners may receive in the beginning of their relationship could lead to issues with trust between them, which can make the relationship more difficult.” (Clemetson, 2000). It is possible to tell if people are uncomfortable or indifferent towards certain groups. Americans may try to portray a diverse society, but they will still feel the need to be prejudicial because of the long-standing idea.

Castles’ and Kosack’s theory and suggestions can help alleviate these prejudice situations, although they cannot be eliminated completely. However, there are some ways that they can reduce. Castles & Kosack state that in order to reduce prejudice in American society, it is necessary to address the underlying insecurities. People cannot change the society in which I described it as they wish. However, they can make a difference by focusing on today’s statistics and not looking back to history. It is impossible to eliminate all prejudice, but improvements could be made over time. There will always be prejudice in American culture, whether it is within the sports world, the workplace, or religion. It’s not possible to eliminate prejudice from these areas, but you can wait until they work themselves out.