THE DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS OF CONTEMPORARY ETHNO-RACIAL LIFE

QUESTION:

IN THE ARTICLE, “ARE BLACKS TOO FRIVOULOUS WITH MONEY,” FIND THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE FOLLOWING SOCIAL FORCES – ETHNOCENTRISM, STEREOTYPING, PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION.

ETHNOCENTRISM IS THE BELIEF THAT ONE'S OWN CULTURE IS BETTER THAN OTHERS AND/OR THE TENDENCY TO BELIEVE THAT WHAT IS TRUE OF YOUR CULTURE IS TRUE OF OTHERS.

STEREOTYPE IS A SET OF BIASED GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A GROUP OR CATEGORY OF PEOPLE THAT IS UNFAVORABLE, EXAGGERATED OR OVER-SIMPLIFIED.

PREJUDICE IS A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE BASED ON PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT MEMBERS OF A SELECT GROUP.

DISCRIMINATION IS DENIAL OF EQUAL TREATMENT OR OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE BASIS OF MEMBERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR GROUP.

CAVEAT (WARNING, PROVISO)

MOST SOCIAL SCIENTIST AGREE THAT "ETHNOCENTRISM" IS A "UNIVERSAL PHENOMENON", THAT EMERGES OUT OF THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF GROUP IDENTITY (BOUNDARIES).

PROVIDES A SENSE OF COHESION, ESTEEM, RESPECT, DIGNITY, AND PRIDE. SO ETHNOCENTRISM IS THE BELIEF IN ONE'S OWN CULTURE, AND FUNCTIONS IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE.==

"BUT" ETHNOCENTRISM OFTEN LEADS TO OTHER IMPORTANT SOCIOLOGICAL TOPICS -- SUCH AS "STEREOTYPING" (OVER-GENERALIZED CARICATURES OF OTHERS) AND "PREJUDICE" (NEGATIVE ATTITUDES BASED ON PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS) AND "DISCRIMINATION" (HARMFUL PRACTICES).

ETHNOCENTRISM IS AN INCIPIENT (EMBRYONIC) PROCESS IN THE FORMATION OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP IDENTITY.

WE CAN THINK OF THE MATTER THIS WAY: ETHNOCENTRISM IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR STEREOTYPING; AND STEREOTYPING IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR PREJUDICE; AND PREJUDICE IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR DISCRIMINATION.