HUCL1101 Final Project: Analysis of Paul Bloom's TED Talk on Prejudice

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report analyzes a TED Talk on prejudice.

HUCL1101 – Final Project 1
HUCL1101 – Final Project
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HUCL1101 – Final Project 2
Introduction
The video selected for this project is a Ted Talk video by Paul Bloom titled "Can Prejudice
ever be a Good Thing?” The video discusses developing viewpoints and opinions regarding
certain public activities and functions. The speaker in this video is discussing for declaring
prejudice and bias as natural activities and phenomenon (Ted Talks, 2019). The video has
provided that prejudice can be determined as a rational and moral activity where it enables us to
determine the differences between horrible consequences. The report will answer various
questions to demonstrate an understanding of the practice of prejudice.
1. Why did you choose the topic/video that you did?
The video I selected is a ted talk by Paul Bloom discussing whether Prejudice can be a good
thing. This video has been chosen as it is an interesting concept and enlightens about the practice
of prejudice on the basis of moral and rational thinking. The video includes various examples
and events description which further dignifies the discussion and provides with rationales
towards identifying prejudice as a justified activity (Ted Talks, 2019). The author of this video
has provided with supporting materials by including different events and historical discussions of
prejudice being undertaken in both a positive and negative manner. The video has also presented
with discussions over the ability of an individual to prejudice and develop an understanding of
the wrong and right. The author has included examples of Hazlitt depicting that without the
practice of prejudice and custom he was unable to develop an effective decision making of the
social domains and nonsocial domains.

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2. What were the important points emphasized? How does this correspond to the course
concepts?
There were various points emphasized in the video. The video has undertaken a conversation
about the women asking a question for justifying the foreign aid sent to foreign countries
irrespective of the problems and issues identified by the people of America. The points
emphasized in this section of the video pertaining to developing an understanding of prejudice as
a practice where it is subjected as a moral activity (Ted Talks, 2019). As per the views of the
author in this video an instance has been provided where regardless of politics prejudice
develops irrespective of understanding and motivation of the individual. In the example provided
Americans feel proud to be Americans and raise a sense of belonging towards the other residents
based on nationality and ethnicities. In the example, the woman asking question developed a
prejudice of why foreign aid is provided irrespective of the sufferings of Americans in the
country.
3. Can you relate to this on a personal level? Write about an experience you endured or
witnessed. Do you agree or disagree with the message in the video?
Yes, I can relate to this video on a personal level as I have experienced different situations in my
personal life where prejudice played a major role in developing my decisions and thoughts
related to others (Ted Talks, 2019). My perusal experience where I witnessed prejudice was
during my internship in my college. I was working on a project in a team where students from
diversified cultures were working together. In the meeting, different responsibilities and work-
related duties were being assigned to different members. The prejudice developed when one of
the members was assigned the duty related to finances and costs of the project based on his

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Asian background (Ted Talks, 2019). A prejudice was developed regarding his skills and
abilities in finances related to the cultural background. Later the prejudice turned out to be
correct and he was an excellent help to the project in minimizing the costs and increasing the
benefits for the project.
4. Has viewing the topic challenged your philosophies or beliefs?
Yes viewing the topic has challenged my philosophies and beliefs. It has differentiated by
thinking and perceptions of different things. I have acknowledged through the video that making
preferences over the race, gender and the appearance of the individuals is pure biases and
prejudice (Ted Talks, 2019). I have learned that prejudice is a moral activity when practiced in a
rational manner. Before accomplishing the topics I had a perceived notation about the prejudice
being a negative and disrespectful activity which only created negative and harmful results for
the individual engaged in prejudicing. The discussions and observations gathered through the
Ted Talk video aided me to amend my thinking and notations regarding the practice of prejudice.
This has altered and challenged my thinking regarding demonstrated prejudice as a thoughtful
activity when undertaking through effective assessment and careful thinking.
5. Did you find the message powerful/challenging?
Yes, I find the message powerful and challenging as it has challenged my thinking. The video
has aided me to develop an effective understanding of prejudice as a moral activity which is
required to identify the right and wrong between different activities of the social and nonsocial
domains. The message imparted in this video pertains to applying self-analysis and thinking
capacities to support the development of prejudice as rationale thinking (Ted Talks, 2019). The

HUCL1101 – Final Project 5
message provided in this video illustrates for prejudice and bias as a fundamental duality of
individuals. The video has provided that gut feelings, instincts, and emotions are also a
subconscious part of prejudice and biases. These activities impact our decisions making ability
and power to demonstrate the difference between wrong and right by an individual. The has been
learned through the video representation that rational deliberation and intelligent planning can be
applied to the structure and articulate the practice of prejudice in the thinking and decision-
making process.
Conclusion
I have learned from the discussions that prejudice can be considered as a thoughtful and effective
activity which supports for the development of effective and mindful decision making and
structured viewpoints by a different individual regardless of biases (Ted Talks, 2019).

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References
Ted Talks.
(2019). Can prejudice ever be a good thing? [Online]. Ted Talks. Retrieved at:
https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bloom_can_prejudice_ever_be_a_good_thing/details.