#525: Why do we subconsciously see minority groups in a negative light? (10th grader)

There is a Japanese proverb that says, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down." I am a Zainichi Korean, and I believe that being a minority means being forced to be that "nail that sticks out." In other words, just by existing, minorities are treated as the nails that stick out and are constantly hammered down.

So why do people want to hammer down those who stand out? One reason might be the collectivist mindset. People find comfort in environments where everyone is the same. So, when someone steps out of line, they might think, "This person is troublesome," or "I don't know how to deal with them," or even "They're causing trouble for others." These feelings might arise naturally. After all, group behavior is essential for humans to live together.

But people in the minority group cannot change being a "nail that sticks out," so it's not right to hammer them down. In my opinion, minorities in our society cannot and do not need to change who they are. It's everyone's responsibility to understand and respect each other.

抜粋:

第525回なぜマイノリティーであることを無意識に悪いことと捉えてしまうのか（高１）

日本には「出る杭は打たれる」と言うことわざがあるね。私は在日韓国人だけど、「マイノリティであること」は「出る杭でいることを強要されること」だと思う。つまり、存在しているだけで「出る杭」としてあつかわれ、打たれ続けられることだと思う。ではなぜ人は「出る杭」を打ちたがるのだろう？一つには集団主義があるかな。みんな同じな環境が心地いい。だから、輪からはみ出る人は「めんどくさい」とか「扱い方が難しい・わからない」「周りに迷惑をかけている」と思ってしまうのかもしれない。そしてそういった気持ちは、自然なものなのかもしれない。人間は生きて行く上で集団行動は大事だし、ルールに従うことも大事。でもだからと言って「出る杭」であることを変えることができない人を打つことは良くない。マイノリティの人は「出る杭」であることを変えられないし、変えなくていいと私は思う。互いを理解して尊重することは、みんなの仕事だ。

Disclaimers
I wrote the original post in Japanese for the Mainichi Children’s Newspaper. Read here for more information on the project. 
I generated a portion of this English translation using ChatGPT. Although I always read everything I post and add my final edits, I would like to be transparent about the translation process.