Prejudice

Prejudice (or foredeeming) is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prejudice

There I was, not minding my own business, but having a bit of a discussion on a blog which I had never visited before but which was up and running on a subject in which I was interested. Not politics for once [well it is the holiday season] and definitely nothing to do with religion [even though it is the holiday season]

OK, so in these sort of discussions participants can get very, shall we say, heated. After all as a wise man once said - over a hundred years ago - "it is difference of opinion that makes horse races"* And even on my favourite discussion site there are occasional flaming 'offences' and name calling.

But suddenly one of my comments was answered with one which went along the lines of 'well you would think that because you are a Lefty Christian'. I couldn't really see the relevance of my political and religious views to the subject under discussion - and said so - and added that if the term was meant as an insult I didn't take it as one. And since the commentator had obviously visited this blog site and looked at my profile to find out those facts, the 'problem' probably laid with him/her.

Thereafter whatever I said on the subject was dismissed with 'well you would say that wouldn't you', by more than one commentator. [We were discussing gender choices in children's toys on which I did some research years ago, see: http://rephidimstreet.blogspot.com/2011/11/danger-or-not-of-gender-stereotyping-in.html ]

The whole episode is laughable - BUT! There is an arrant prejudice displayed here. If my profile on here had displayed an ethnicity and my arguments were dismissed because of that ethnicity surely others would have deplored the racism displayed? If I had said 'God [or Marx!] wants me to tell you that.....' maybe that would have been a reason for others to say 'well you would say that wouldn't you?' But just because I happen to be a Socialist and a Christian does that make all my views inadmissible? Within political and religious gatherings does no-one think I never express my own views and never argue. OK so you don't all know me personally, but believe me I am just as argumentative in real life as in cyber life!

I have said before that probably the most prejudice that I have come across in my life is due to my avowed Pacifism. I am used to that and have defended it on here on more than one occasion [bit of an oxymoron there!]

So a bit of a rambling blog for the last one of the year. I would love to have some other views on this subject but will wish you all a Happy New Year and may all your hopes and dreams come true.




*Mark Twain: Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894
Photograph courtesy of youthvoices.net