Prejudice has always prevailed in most scenarios involving racial relations in Western countries. Individuals that commit a similar crime are charged differently while in an opposite situation, those who perform a particularly good task gain differing rewards. This innate system is ingrained in society and has only recently begun to surface once more, eliciting one of the most ethically erroneous behavioral traits evident in humans. People treat one another differently and showcase a positive tendency towards white people while indicating a form of hostility towards other races. Utilizing utilitarianism illustrates that equal treatment of people is better for the society as a whole.
Racial prejudice is an issue affecting different factions of society, influencing the workplace through unfair practice. Whites are likely to get employed than black people or latinos with the same level of education. They have benefited from this system that disproportionately gives them economic, systemic, and historical advantages (Fottrell, 2019). These individuals have an unequal share of better jobs compared to the volume of work available (Fottrell, 2019). Other races are not represented equally in workplaces while they receive lower income at the workplace despite having the same education.
Workplace inequality leads to segregation in other aspects of life. White individuals are unlikely to live in similar areas to their non-white counterparts as they make more money and can afford better housing. Centuries of discrimination have over time reduced the capacity for many people of color to get better housing. The USA posits the best example of this trait, where white people start leaving a neighborhood when people of color begin moving to the area. This racially charged discrimination leaves many areas neglected by public officials as they operated to suit the white population. As people of color make extra money and move to these neighborhoods because of their amenities, their white counterparts can go to a different neighborhood. As they leave, the government begins ignoring these places in favor of others, leading to dilapidation and ultimately stagnant growth or even a reversal of the safety and other features that led people of color to move to the areas (Solomon et al., 2019). Mass exodus is a major racially discriminatory practice that ensures segregation and limits people of color’s ability to advance in social terms.
It is important to consider that discrimination at the workplace further affects people’s ability to send their children to good schools. This propagates a system of favoritism and bias that predisposes some children to adverse conditions in life. Many people of color living in poor neighborhoods do not have access to basic social facilities such as adequate housing or food (Horowitz et al., 2021). While school should be a refuge for children seeking education. They often find limited resources compared with their white counterparts that receive most aid (Mesecar, 2017). The US government’s policies are structured so that high-performing schools receive adequate funding while less-performing schools have a shrinking budget.
Racial prejudice is a universal issue that plagues Western countries such as the USA. Despite numerous efforts by people of color to eliminate the issue, it remains ingrained in society as a bad reminder of the crude system we live in. White individuals do not perceive the extent of favoritism employed and may not empathize with people of color seeking a crucial component of life, a right to equal opportunity.
References
Fottrell, Q. (2019). White workers are more likely than black or Latino Americans to have a good job – even with the same level of Education. MarketWatch.
Horowitz, J. M., Brown, A., & Cox, K. (2021). Race in America 2019. Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project.
Mesecar, D. (2017). Performance based funding: An issue beyond school choice that should be examined during the devos confirmation. AAF.
Nellis, A. (2021). The Color of Justice: Racial and ethnic disparity in state prisons. The Sentencing Project.
Solomon, D., Maxwell, C., & Castro, A. (2019). Systemic inequality: Displacement, exclusion, and segregation. Center for American Progress. Web.