Prejudice, a Limitation: Part 1

Prejudice is an unfortunate problem that needs to be abolishes through increased awareness.

    "How a person is perceived affects how that person will be treated."(Wolfensburg 1987, qtd. in Mental Retardation 61).
     Wolfensburg, in this powerful statement, is referring to the act and affect of prejudicial attitudes, simply stating that prejudice is significant to the treatment of any citizen. According to Webster's Dictionary for Students (2003), prejudice is, "a liking or disliking for one rather than another without good reason" (pg.308). Unfortunately, prejudice leads to many misconceptions as it is based upon a preconceived opinion, furthermore, it is prevalent as "the perspectives of modern society are based largely upon significant variances from the norm" (Bierne-Smith, Patton, and Ittenbach 1994, pg. 462). Based on this fact it is safe to conclude that, those who are mentally retarded, are greatly affected by poor treatment which is consequential to constant prejudice. Due to characteristics like lack in social skills or intellectual capabilities, those who are mentally retarded are perceived as different (see my third post). In this section of, Of Mice and Men: Mental Limitations, Limit Life, I will be discussing the negative affects of various prejudicial attitudes towards those who are mentally retarded in real life, in relation to those seen in Steinbeck's, Of Mice and Men. This will be a 3 part blog, once again, I encourage any and all criticism.