What Separates
A
Us?
5 BREAKTHROUGHS THAT WILL TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
IMAGINE WALKING INTO A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE YOU DON’T KNOW. You look around,
debating where to sit. You spot an open seat at two tables. At one table sits a group who look like you and have a similar social background. At the other table sits a diverse group, many with a cultural background different from yours. Your mind and your emotions quickly make a judgment call on which seat you would prefer. It looks like a split-second decision, but that decision is comprised of years of social conditioning.
a world of difference
Social conditioning starts when you’re a baby. Your parents pick your playdates and make sure they approve of the family’s lifestyle and values. Throughout your life this conditioning continues. It is influenced directly by your friends, peers, acquaintances and relatives; each relationship is rewarded or challenged by your social circle. It is also influenced indirectly by the movies your watch, the books your read, and what you see in the news and on social media.
Social prejudices bombard us every day through these channels. These thoughts deposit their infectious debris deep into our minds, often without our even realizing it. During these interactions stereotypes emerge. Stereotypes are generalizations that are made about the characteristics of members of a group. These assumptions may or may not accurately represent most of the group, but have become accepted as mostly true. Often we are not aware of the unconscious negative stereotypes lingering behind our decision regarding which table we choose. Even the most well-intentioned of us is not immune. As you attempt to simplify the decision-making process, you inherently apply labels and prejudge people based on limited information. All prejudice is rooted in this tendency to prejudge with insufficient knowledge about a culture, racial group, or personal situation. These prejudgments are made based on superficial things like complexion, clothing, religious preferences, customs and habits. It is void of depth or any attempt to understand. The lack of facts creates opportunities for wrong
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