A number of published studies show that people sometimes use abusive and biased behavior to promote self-esteem.
When self-esteem is put at risk, the person takes proactive measures such as racism to restore confidence and self-esteem (at least for some people).
There is no doubt that this is not a socially productive way to gain self-esteem, but some people seem to be doing it.
We as human beings are social beings, and we love to be part of a group as much as our love to see ourselves in a positive state (self-esteem).
We would like to imagine that the group to which we belong is important and influential (positive discrimination).
The problem here is that we do it in one way: contempt for other groups.
If someone disagrees significantly, people have a negative attitude towards him because he belongs to a different group.
We do not need to go back and look at our ancestors to see it practically. Even today, states and even groups within countries are fighting to reach limited resources (for example, water, fertile land, ports, oil ...). Psycho-social research has shown that it is very easy to make groups against each other if they are competing for scarce resources.
Do you remember the TV program «Survivor»? It is a good example.
People find meaning for their lives by indulging themselves in a system of cultural belief or world opinion that gives their lives a sense of importance, certainty and stability.
Unfortunately, some people support some of the worldviews that promote racism and racial superiority.
Fortunately, the number of people who share racist views is constantly decreasing.
