Prejudiced ?

 It is just a funny little thing but it bothered me in a way. I have written about an Amish lady, or perhaps she is a Mennonite, that frequently shops at the store where I work. I was surprised to see her driving an automobile. I was also surprised to see her talking on a cell phone. Now it is none of my business and I am not saying anything bad about this person. In fact she is quite a pleasant sort and is usually accompanied by a cute little girl that I am sure is her daughter. The little girl, being a child, is just naturally talkative and inquisitive. She always says hello and waves. Well, she was in yesterday, the mom and daughter, and I just happened to be in the aisle with the boxed cake mixes. This lady asked me to hand her several, which I did. That is the funny little thing that bothered me. I'm thinking, hey shouldn't she be making her cakes from scratch ? Is that stereotyping ? Yes, I guess it is. And with that thought in mind, I felt a little disappointed. It was akin to finding my Minister in a bar ! The world is changing indeed. The idea occurred to me that perhaps she was buying them for a friend. But wouldn't her friends be Amish or Mennonite ? More stereotypical thinking on the part of the " English ? " That is what I have heard we are called. But who are we ? Anyone not Amish I suppose. It is all very confusing. Does all of that make her less Amish or Mennonite ? That would depend upon the standard being applied and I don't really have a standard, just what I think they are or should be. Preconceived notions are what they are. They are also often wrong. I have an inquiring mind, okay I'm nosey, but I find it very interesting. I'm curious.
 Today we hear the word prejudice thrown about. Prejudice is a bad thing ! What it really is is a pre-judgement. It happens when we assume we know the actions or motives of others. It is not necessarily a result of color or race. These pre-judgements can be based on just about anything. In this case I am pre-judging this lady without really knowing anything at all about her or her religious beliefs. I don't really know if she is even associated with that particular religious sect at all. Maybe she just likes to dress that way. I'm being prejudiced ! Does that make me a bad person ? I don't think so, just uniformed. There is another lady that dresses in a similar fashion that brings children with her. The children are not dressed in that fashion at all. Are they her children ? Is she just the nanny ? I don't know. I admit my opinion is biased. Biased isn't as bad as prejudice, is it ? The dictionary says they are the same thing.
 Inconsistencies are the foundation of prejudice. Isn't that the truth ? If you always do the same action or respond to the same motivation, others expect that of you. That isn't prejudice but predictable. It is when we base our predictions upon speculation and conjecture that prejudice is formed. We need data to base these predictions on. The best way to obtain that data is just to ask. That is a difficult task at times. That is because the other person, the one you wish to ask, may already have some preconceived notions about you and your motivations. They are prejudiced. That is a dilemma. This lady buying a boxed cake mix appeared to me to be an inconsistency. That is what bothered me. Funny thing isn't it ?