Is prejudice really about race or has it always been about power or money or both.

I agree with you that in order to feel superior, one has to find those willing to look up! It’s about power, which is money, etc.

Inequality is too appealing for some.

So do you think, if we were taught more to be team players instead of all for one and me for myself that bigotry could be erased?

There are so many elements…it’s not so simple in my mind. I think your scenario is interesting. We have to find a way to encourage a “healthy self” and team playing.

Balance in all things.

It seems to me that there are many different kinds of prejudice. But I think the common thread in any type of prejudice may stem from lack of self esteem. A truly confident person doesn’t need another person as a frame-of-reference to their worthiness. And I also think it can be like a virus.

I remember a young boy who was in one of my childrens’ class at school. I was a parent chaperone at extra-curricular events. The boy was quite effeminate, and I had witnessed him being taunted by other children, and stepped in to mitigate.

The next year, I saw him doing the same to another child. When I called him on it, reminding him of how it had felt to him, he just said “it feels good to be the mocker instead of the mocked one”. Sad.

Quite a few years later, I learned that this boy had committed suicide. He must have suffered a great deal, and it’s too bad that at the time there was no system to support him.

@eden2eve It certainly is a catch 22. If we teach them to only be part of a team than their self worth may suffer. If we teach them to be superior to others by being aggressive and a go getter then they others suffer. Sad story about the kid. However it may have involved some things going on at home as well.
As @MissA said, a fine balance must be found. We still need leaders but how do we raise a nation of fair leaders? They need everyday examples.

Yes, I know that was the case, @Pandora . It was obvous from things I learned that there wasn’t much at home to help him have better self worth. I’d like to think that in the present day he might have been identified by school teachers and given help or referred to treatment.

I think that until we as a society value integrity and honor more than “coolness”, wealth and appearance, we can’t be good role models for the generations who watch. If we want to create good leaders, we have to be better examples.

@eden2eve Agreed.

It can be about anything. Next question.

Insecure people who depend upon power/money/whatever for a sense of self-worth at others’ expense are going to think and behave in a prejudiced manner. I think it starts with teaching our kids that they, and everyone else, are inherently worthy as human beings, and no amount of accomplishment, money or what they look like vis-à-vis other people makes them better or worse than anyone else.

It is always about power when referring to prejudice. “Bigotry”, is a matter of opinion.