I’ve heard this slogan today from a coworker when he was talking about a recent event where a famous soccer player did a video where he was wearing a monkey costume. Although one must agree that prejudice is in the eye of the beholder, at some extend it must be at minimum contradictory as there is indeed evil in this world. How to determine what is really evil or just the result of our own view of the facts which suffers interference from our life experiences? Being educated, thinking about the consequences of an act, and treating others as one would like to be treated are the keys for having a good and happy life without or at least with minimum prejudice.
Educated people tend to be less prejudiced [they tend, meaning not everyone]. When one is aware of the consequence that bad choice can cause, one inclines not to do so, just as a good chess player would do/think: “If I play this move, what could happen in the next 2 or 3 (or even more) moves ahead.” The idea of measuring the consequences is a way to suppress any prejudicial thought.
The writer Ben Goldacre wrote on an article at the English newspaper The Guardian: “Prejudice, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.” He goes a step further and adds beauty to the equation. History tells us that the concept of beauty depends on geographic place, but mainly on time in history. However, the prejudice about what one is thinking is wrong, should not depend on experiences, but solo on the golden rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
Our view of the world and people surrounding us comes from our level of understanding (also called education), life experiences, and total prejudice in its deep meaning. The more educated, responsible, and aware of the golden rule we are, the more we tend to accept others as they are, even when they do not share the same ideas. As I like to say: The light (knowledge) changes our point of view (what we believe is true/good/acceptable/wrong).
Daniel Paiva 