EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty: "My question: What is supposed to make discrimination so tempting? For adultery, we've got a crisp evolutionary story: Cheating on your spouse without getting caught has a massive genetic payoff. I just don't see how discrimination is remotely comparable. How many people really enjoy inflicting unmerited suffering? I can easily believe that people enjoy discriminating when everyone else is doing it; people are sheep, after all. But once discrimination is publicly unacceptable, our evolved desire for conformity ought to push in the opposite direction.
My favorite explanation: what popular culture impugns as "hate" is, by and large, merely misunderstood statistical discrimination. Firms are tempted to discriminate because stereotypes save time and money. If you don't buy this story, though, I'd like to hear your alternative. If discrimination isn't lucrative, why are employers continuously tempted to break the law?"
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