Racism Vs. Prejudice....

I've always been amazed how so many people use these words as interchangable....

To me prejudice means noticing cultural differences between races, nationalities, and gender.

Racism is hating a group because of these differences.

Maybe I'm just an ignorant idiot, but I just don't think having a certain amount of prejudice is close to being as bad as being racist.

Yes, I understand by being prejudice, you are stereotyping a group of people, BUT I also understand that people are individualistic beings and I KNOW that just because you are of a certain race or nationality or gender, does not MEAN you are going to have a certain taste for something be it a type of food, music, God, sexual orientation, what have you.

But I also believe that usually a stereotype does exist because a majority of a certain group does have a certain...IDK..."tendency" for a certain thing.

Put it this way. I'm about 80% Irish. When people say Irish people are drunks, I don't get upset because I can tell you that two of my grandparents, a uncle, a aunt AND a brother (All a big part of Irish descent) are alcoholics. So I kind of get it. Sure...Not all Irish people are alcoholics, but I do think a large part is...Just from my own personal experience, yes.

So, the question is...Do you see being somewhat "prejudice" as bad as being "racist"? Is there a difference?

Also....I have known people of all different races, genders, and nationalities my whole life and as far as prejudism goes....I swear, I've only met one person that I honestly believe was not prejudiced AT ALL.

I know this is somewhat of a "I'm not gonna touch this with a ten foot pole" kind of discussion, but that's why I'm bringing it here. Because everyone on here seems to be so honest. I love that about this community. So, I'd really like to know what you think?

I think they're two different things just as you've described....

AND I think stereotypes exist for a reason.
They're not TOTALLY definitive, but they are there for a reason.

racism is prejudice based on race, or on the perception of race (usually including ethnic/regional status, and sometimes religious affiliation.)

prejudice means either being for or against a certain thing. everyone is prejudice about something. I'm prejudiced for skateboarding, and I'm prejudice against littering.

It is usually used to refer to someone that is ignorant about a subject and makes an unfounded judgment hence the prejudice. But it's not exclusive because you can still have seemingly objective preferences about things based on your subjective opinion.

actions based on prejudice's are called discrimination. These aren't emotionally loaded concepts, they are neutral. I discriminate against wearing leather.

the problem is when you use these expressions in reference to people, it is bad because it hurts people's feelings and it can obviously be extreme enough to cause violence and other things that make a really shitty time and make you a really shitty person.

everyone has petpeeves, some people take thiers more seriously than others

Mr karl, I like your attitudes on this and to me you make good point.