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Judging America: Photographer Challenges Our Prejudice By Alternating Between Judgment and Reality

Joel Parés, a U.S. Marine-turned-professional photographer, has created an interesting photo series that seeks to question the ugly prejudices that many of us harbor, to one extent or another, against groups of people different from ourselves.

Parés’ photo series at first presents us with characters symbolic of the prejudices suffered by various groups based on their ethnicity, socio-economic status or sexual preference. Then, however, they show us the real people behind these often false characters – the violent gangster turns out to be a Harvard graduate and an exhausted gardener turns out to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

“Many of us are in the habit of judging others incorrectly by ethnicity, by their profession, and by their sexual interest,” Parés told PetaPixel about his photo ideas. “The purpose of this series is to open our eyes for social issues and make us think twice before judging someone because we all judge even if we try not to.”

More info: joelpares.com | Facebook | 500px (h/t: petapixel)

Harvard graduate Jefferson Moon

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New York City nurse Sahar Shaleem

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Pastor/Missionary Jack Johnson

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Fortune 500 CEO Edgar Gonzalez

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Stanford Graduate School student Sammie Lee

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Iraq Combat Veteran Jacob Williams

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Widowed mother of 3 Jane Nguyen

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iPhone app inventor Joseph Messer

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Family outreach program founder Ben Alvarez

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Famous painter Alexander Huffman

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There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

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What do you think ?

POST

RaechelCella-Bott 10 years ago

I think this is kinda dumb. You could put a scowl on anyone and they would be threatening, not to mention a gun... noose, or a knife.

20points

TaraynMarissa 10 years ago

It's not about how they are smiling...It's how people PERCEIVE them. These people could be smiling &people would STILL see them as mean.

14points

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MartinaVeselá 10 years ago

You completely missed the point, good job. They're not meant to be scary, they're just showing how judgmental people see various ethnics...

8points

MaxineNieves 10 years ago

exactly, that is how dumb judging IS!

6points

MuseTD 10 years ago

Thank you! I thought the same thing. Yeah people will judge you BECAUSE you are holding a gun. Yeah. Pretty much.

3points

MattKazierad 10 years ago

I think that's kinda the point.. Don't judge a book by its cover

1point

PaulRobey 10 years ago

Only scary to xenophobic types

1point

JennCheung 10 years ago

I agree. A positive judgement is still a judgement. lol. Either way, they are still being judged! Just depends if the person agrees w/ it.

1point

MaribelTapia 10 years ago

my thoughts exactly.

1point

RahelLove 10 years ago

i agree w/ TaraynMarissa

0points

chen zhang 10 years ago

i think the photographer wants to show the difference between what others think of americans and the real americans.

0points

JennyBernhardKelly 10 years ago

I think this is shallow, intellectually dishonest & dumb. If you don't *know* a person- all you have as quick judgement is their attire

6points

HazelWaring 10 years ago

I don't understand. OF COURSE we judge by surroundings! If they are holding guns, I'm not likely to hang around and make polite conversation

4points

Blackray44 10 years ago

No, i think the point here is that people percieve them as those stereotypes they're not actually dressed that way.

1point

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POST

RaechelCella-Bott 10 years ago

I think this is kinda dumb. You could put a scowl on anyone and they would be threatening, not to mention a gun... noose, or a knife.

20points

TaraynMarissa 10 years ago

It's not about how they are smiling...It's how people PERCEIVE them. These people could be smiling &people would STILL see them as mean.

14points

Load More Replies...

MartinaVeselá 10 years ago

You completely missed the point, good job. They're not meant to be scary, they're just showing how judgmental people see various ethnics...

8points

MaxineNieves 10 years ago

exactly, that is how dumb judging IS!

6points

MuseTD 10 years ago

Thank you! I thought the same thing. Yeah people will judge you BECAUSE you are holding a gun. Yeah. Pretty much.

3points

MattKazierad 10 years ago

I think that's kinda the point.. Don't judge a book by its cover

1point

PaulRobey 10 years ago

Only scary to xenophobic types

1point

JennCheung 10 years ago

I agree. A positive judgement is still a judgement. lol. Either way, they are still being judged! Just depends if the person agrees w/ it.

1point

MaribelTapia 10 years ago

my thoughts exactly.

1point

RahelLove 10 years ago

i agree w/ TaraynMarissa

0points

chen zhang 10 years ago

i think the photographer wants to show the difference between what others think of americans and the real americans.

0points

JennyBernhardKelly 10 years ago

I think this is shallow, intellectually dishonest & dumb. If you don't *know* a person- all you have as quick judgement is their attire

6points

HazelWaring 10 years ago

I don't understand. OF COURSE we judge by surroundings! If they are holding guns, I'm not likely to hang around and make polite conversation

4points

Blackray44 10 years ago

No, i think the point here is that people percieve them as those stereotypes they're not actually dressed that way.

1point

Load More Replies...

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Judging America: Photographer Challenges Our Prejudice By Alternating Between Judgment and Reality

Harvard graduate Jefferson Moon

New York City nurse Sahar Shaleem

Pastor/Missionary Jack Johnson

Fortune 500 CEO Edgar Gonzalez

Stanford Graduate School student Sammie Lee

Iraq Combat Veteran Jacob Williams

Widowed mother of 3 Jane Nguyen

iPhone app inventor Joseph Messer

Family outreach program founder Ben Alvarez

Famous painter Alexander Huffman

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