No Amount of Information Can Eliminate Prejudice Because Prejudice Is Rooted in Emotion, Not Reason

“No amount of information can eliminate prejudice because prejudice is rooted in emotion, not reason”
The speaker actually raises two distinct issues here: 1.whether information can eliminate or at least help reduce prejudice and 2.if not whether this is because prejudice is rooted in emotion rather than reason. Despite the evidence to the contrary, i fundamentally agree with the speaker’s essential claim that prejudice is here to stay because it is firmly rooted in emotion rather than reason.
Regarding the first issue it would appear at first glance that prejudice is declining as a result of our becoming a more enlightened, or better informed society. During the past quarter decade more so than other period in human history, various voices of reason have been informing us that racial, sexual and other forms of prejudice are unfounded in reason, morally wrong and harmful to the society. During the 1960s and 1970s such information came from civil rights and feminist activists more recently the primary source of this information has been mainstream media, which now affirmatively touts the rights of various racial groups women and homosexuals. Moreover increasing mobility and cultural awareness surely serve to inform people the world over that we are all essentially alike.
It would seem that as a result of this flood of information we would be making clear progress toward eliminating prejudice. However much of this so-called progress is forced upon us legislatively-in the form of anti-discrimination laws in the areas of employment housing and education which now protect all significant minority groups. Without these laws would we voluntarily refrain from the discriminatory behavior and other forms of prejudice that the laws prevent? Perhaps not. Moreover signs of prejudice are all around us today. Extreme factions still rally around bigoted demagogues; the number of “hate crimes” is increasing alarmingly; and the cultural gap between white americans and african...