Is prejudice (hate) connected to low intelligence?

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   NateB11posted 11 years ago

   Evidently research shows there's a correlation between prejudice and low intelligence. In other words, stupid people are prejudice. Here's a link to the information: http://news.yahoo.com/low-iq-conservati … 03506.html

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      Sooner28posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      For MOST people, there is a correlation; however, what about our founders?
      
      They owned slaves and were misogynistic! Yet, many of their ideas, even if you don't agree with them all, are quite good.
      
      I am not clear in my own mind on the relationship between people who are very prejudical in their judgments and without question accept the dominant view of whatever culture they live in, and the level of their intelligence.

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         NateB11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I hope I'm understanding correctly; it seems to me accepting the view of the dominant culture implies rigid thinking, putting things and people into boxes, which is a kind of prejudice; it is easier, but it is limited. Intelligence has a lot to do with clarity, with freedom, able to see things as they are, as they move. Rigid thinking is like running in place, going nowhere. I don't know if I'm touching on your question at all. It's a good question, so requires some inquiry.

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   janesixposted 11 years ago

   Prejudice does not mean hate. It is actually self explanitory. It means to prejudge. To make a judgement based on a stereotype usually. It could mean that most little poodles with pink collars you've met have been sweet innocent things, so you assume the next one you see will be the same,and Fluffly takes a chunk out of your ankle.
   
   Anyway, I don't believe for a second that intelligence has anything to do with being predudiced in the sense that you are getting at. Perhaps intelligent people are able to hide it better?

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      NateB11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Prejudice is divisive thinking and division is violence; all of the divisions in the world lead to violence, and distorted (divided) perception; prejudice is a fabrication.

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         janesixposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I think you're stretching things a bit, don't you?
         
         To prejudge is a natural human phenomenon. Everyone does it to some degree. It's a defence mechanism. It can RESULT in violence, but it doesn't have to, and doesn't in most cases.
         
         If you're trying to talk about racism, then that's a whole different ball game.

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            NateB11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Why talk about what is "natural"? That is a stretch; meaning, it's off road. It is the same argument people use about violence; "It's natural, we've always done it." Well, I could gorge myself on pancakes for 5 weeks, doesn't mean I should keep doing it. Prejudice is idea, which is division, distorts perception. If I think I belong to a group, then I think my group is different than yours, is better, etc. This is the source of the problem of violence; and the problem is no one ever looks at the source; instead, drive on the off roads. Thinking I am something, belong to a group, am that group is illusory, leads to conflict, is conflict, so leads to violence. It's rather obvious.

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               janesixposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               I feel badly for you that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You do no understand human nature.

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                  NateB11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  I feel bad that you resort to insults and veiled insults and do not listen. I am done talking with you. I am familiar with the trick.

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                     janesixposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     That's fine.
                     
                     But I was not insulting you.

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   habeeposted 11 years ago

   I think education and exposure are bigger parts of it than intelligence is. I'll give you an example: As a teacher, I rarely saw any mentally challenged kids who had even a grain of prejudice. Getting to know people who are different than you is key to combating racism and prejudice. IMO.

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      NateB11posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I was thinking that same thing. I've worked with many persons with developmental disabilities, and mostly they were not at all prejudiced; in fact, nothing like the general population, who are mostly prejudice, conscious of it or not. Not having exposure to different kinds of people is a big part of the problem; which is my main point: Rigid thinking, creates prejudice. The article points that out. Where I live people are both rigid and isolated; and also prejudice.

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