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potential terrorists . There is no room to consider that they might , in fact , be very good people . At such moments , facts are overridden by emotion . No one realizes that there are more terror attacks carried out in the United States by Americans than by foreigners , and many of the terrorists are not identified as Muslims - they are white . However , through consistent information from the media , mindsets are formed , and this leads to prejudicial thinking .

This leads me to question the true cost of prejudice in our world today . How many opportunities have we missed out on due to pre-existing mindsets and biases ? Prejudice shows up everywhere , from politics and establishments to appointments and even churches . In some parts of Europe and the United States , there are churches that are referred to as “ Nigerian ” Churches . Others get more streamlined as they are branded as “ Yoruba ” churches or “ Igbo ” churches , and individuals may be denied positions simply because they do not belong to the right tribe or religion .

We need to stop prioritizing someone ’ s tribe or religion over their qualifications and abilities . It ’ s important to recognize the talents and potential of individuals from all walks of life , regardless of their background . The belief that “ a fool from my tribe is better than a genius from your tribe ” needs to be eradicated , as it only serves to limit progress and innovation . A society that puts such prejudice over competence will never advance to its full potential .

When we operate a system of biases and prejudice , brilliant individuals may be denied opportunities simply because they belong to the wrong tribe , while less qualified individuals are given the chance to succeed . This only perpetuates the cycle of mediocrity , while geniuses remain untapped and unempowered . We must learn to recognize and value diversity in all its forms , and not let preconceptions and biases limit our progress . Only then can we truly thrive as a society .

In a study conducted in the United States , researchers sent out resumes with identical qualifications , but with different names that suggested the race of the applicant . The study found that resumes with “ whitesounding ” names received 50 % more call-backs for interviews than those with “ black-sounding ” names . This type of discrimination in hiring practices limits opportunities for qualified individuals and perpetuates the cycle of poverty and inequality .

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Our retrogressive thinking , the blame game we incessantly engage in , and our acceptance of mediocrity are the crux of our challenges . Let us align our minds with our resources . Let us get over having an appetite for things we don ’ t produce and let production and conversion of raw materials from one form to another be at the centre of our thought process .

Racial profiling is the act of targeting individuals for suspicion of a crime based on their race , ethnicity , or nationality . This practice can lead to innocent people being harassed , falsely arrested , or even killed . In the United States , Black Americans are disproportionately targeted by police officers and subjected to racial profiling . The negative impact of racial profiling can be seen in cases such as the killing of George Floyd and many other unarmed Black Americans .

Gender discrimination is another form of prejudice that can have severe negative consequences . For example , in many countries , women are paid less than men for the same job . This not only limits their economic opportunities , but also perpetuates the cycle of poverty for women and their families . Gender discrimination also limits women ’ s access to education and political power , leading to fewer women in leadership roles and less representation at the decision-making table . It is prejudicial because it conveys the message or the thought of inequality in capacity yet we see everywhere how women have excelled greatly , and in many cases , more than the men when faced with the same task .

A friend of mine , who grew up in the heavily segregated and racially charged southern part of the United States , shared a deeply personal experience that sheds light on the lasting impact of prejudice . Even today , he carries the weight of his upbringing , where he was conditioned to cross the road if a white man approached , simply to avoid sharing the same path . Failure to comply could have dire consequences . Unfortunately , this ingrained prejudice still affects him , leading to automatic feelings of inferiority whenever he encounters a white person . The emotional toll of such prejudice is immeasurable . Consider the vast number of individuals who harbor similar feelings of inferiority due to prejudice . In an attempt to assert themselves , some resort to violence , seeking to establish dominance over others . This is the true cost of prejudice , and it is imperative that we confront and address it .

Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler is a classic example of a nation that suffered as a result of prejudice . Hitler ’ s ideology of racial superiority led to the persecution of Jews , Romans , and other marginalized groups . This led to the Holocaust , in which millions of people were systematically murdered . Germany also suffered economically and politically as a result of Hitler ’ s misplaced policies , leading to its defeat in World War II .

Uber has been criticized for a number of discriminatory practices , including the treatment of drivers from minority groups . In 2017 , a former Uber employee published a blog post detailing her experiences with sexual harassment and discrimination at the company . This led to an internal investigation and the eventual departure of several high-level executives . The negative publicity and loss of trust among customers has also hurt Uber ’ s reputation and bottom line .

In the late 1990s , Microsoft was sued by the US government for antitrust violations . The lawsuit alleged that Microsoft had engaged in anti-competitive practices that had harmed competitors and consumers . One of the key issues in the case was Microsoft ’ s alleged discrimination against non- Microsoft software developers . Microsoft ultimately settled the case , but the negative publicity and damage to its reputation was significant .

I have used these examples to show that prejudice and its negative effects affect us in every sphere of our existence . However , of all the forms of prejudice that I have studied ,

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