12/04/2025
An example of cognitive dissonance with poverty and race is a person who believes in a merit-based system but sees people of color, who are often disproportionately affected by poverty, struggling despite working hard. This creates a conflict between their belief in a "fair and just system" and the reality of racial disparities in poverty, which may lead them to rationalize the situation or minimize the effects of systemic discrimination. Another example is when individuals are aware of the historical context of racial injustice, but also want to believe the nation is a "land of the free," leading them to ignore evidence of ongoing racial inequality.
Example 1: The "Just World" and racial poverty
Belief: "America is a meritocracy where hard work leads to success."
Conflicting reality: The individual observes that many people of color, despite their hard work, are in poverty due to systemic issues like racial discrimination, residential segregation, and lack of resources.
Cognitive dissonance: This creates a conflict between the belief in a just, equal system and the observable evidence that the system is not equal for all racial groups.
Resolution: To reduce the dissonance, the individual might rationalize that the poor people of color are not working hard enough, are making bad choices, or that they are the exception, rather than questioning the fairness of the system itself.
Example 2: Believing in a nation's ideals despite evidence of injustice
Belief: "The United States has always been the land of the free and the home of the brave."
Conflicting reality: The individual knows that the nation's founding was built upon the institution of slavery and that racial injustice has persisted throughout history. They may also see evidence of ongoing racial inequality in areas like wealth, housing, and the justice system.
Cognitive dissonance: The conflicting facts between the nation's proclaimed ideals and its historical and present-day reality create discomfort.
Resolution: To reduce this dissonance, the individual might minimize or ignore the negative aspects of history, deny that racial discrimination is a significant problem, or claim that the issue is overblown, thereby protecting their positive self-image of the nation.
White lady couldn’t even consider what Pryor was saying. This is why progress can be difficult to achieve.
