How to Avoid Discrimination?

South America Group.
Week 6: “Discrimination: How to fight it?”

How to Avoid Discrimination?

Discrimination is defined by the Oxford dictionary of the English language as “the practice of treating somebody or a particular group in society less fairly than others” which we can translate as “judge somebody by their sex, age, skin color, race, origins,etc”.

I live in South America, in Chile, a place known as a good country that always receives foreign people “very well” as long as they are white, tall, well built, etc… in simple words, a country that prefers the basic European stereotype rather than the South American “race” but, why?

 

Why is it that way? What did we do to become “discriminators”? Why so much stereotyping? Why do we discriminate other?

Reasons may vary depending on the country, at least here, it is because since we are young we are told “hate Peruvians” they hate us so you hate them,the same with Bolivians. It is because of historical reasons but why are we still dealing with that if we live in a modern century with technology,advanced communication systems, social networks and so on?

Another reason why we discriminate others is, publicity.

Who has not seen a big, shiny ad with a beautiful,white, blond-haired model while going down the road from work? Not everybody looks that way in Chile, not all Europeans look that way either, don’t mention South Americans. It simply happens because people would buy a product if somebody “white” holds it because it feels “OK”, it feels better, warmer or whatever the reason is because white people is better because they are “white”,all that sells stuff. Nobody would ever buy a sweater if a native Bolivian person wears it, I ensure you, it would never happen. 

To end, the reasons I mentioned plus another million are the reasons why we discriminate others.

How to prevent that from happing?

Being open minded, well behaved, being tolerant, accepting other’s point of views, respecting religions, races, accepting diversity, not accepting stereotype. We are a connected world, there is no reason to discriminate people.

It is on you to stop discriminating others. Change your values, open your mind, be willing to accept “other kind” of people.

By Daniel, Chile
20 years old