Paradoxically, part of the reason why up to 80 percent of Western societies may continue to harbor subtle prejudices could be the climate of “political correctness” that has been so prevalent in our culture. The desire for social acceptance and genuine embarrassment over their views may lead people to suppress or deny prejudiced thoughts or feelings. There have been research studies showing that merely trying to suppress such thoughts, to quickly try to “sweep them under the rug,” does not get rid of prejudice—and in fact it can increase it.
