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Discrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination

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Discrimination has played a role in humanity from the beginnings of human existence to the modern societies of today. Every individual has experienced an act of discrimination at some point; yet, most questions surrounding this fundamental human flaw remain unanswered. One belief that has overwhelming support is the fact that discrimination can lead to significant negative effects. These effects mediate how an individual is able or unable to deal with discrimination. Thus, the discussion of discrimination is important because many individuals either engage in or face discrimination, whether they realize it or not. However, this behavior often results in damaging consequences for all involved that can significantly affect an individual’s entire life.
Discrimination arises from an individual’s belief in a stereotype. Stereotypes are most accurately defined as “an association between group(s) and the characteristic(s) attributed to those group(s)” (Kurylo 337). Though experts disagree on the exact definition, they do agree that stereotypes are controversial and often contain an element of inaccuracy or bias. This causes groups targeted by stereotypes, or even those who hold stereotypes, to experience negative consequences, regardless of the stereotype’s intentions (338). As a result, people are encouraged to avoid the use of stereotypes in order to prevent unnecessary discriminatory practices (339). To avoid the use of stereotypes, however, people must first fully

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