I don't understand racism or homophobia

[adolf hamster]

my personal theory is that there's only one thing really that people are scared of: the unknown

fear of the dark, fear of certain countries (russia during the cold war being a great example) ethnic groups, religions or lifestyle choices that people don't truly understand.

homophobia and racism are products of this, seeing people who are "different" and not fully understanding them. the key to fixing this is education.

the simple truth is that the overwhelming majority of people everywhere want the same things: to be able to provide for themselves, and to provide for their family, everything else is just personal preference.

 

[RoboCod]

My apologies if I wasn't clear enough. I was trying to say that group identification as a benefit was probably genetic and this has led to cultural racism.

I understand the point you're making, and perhaps long ago, tribal differences did exist. I don't think it branched as far as what skin colour you had then though, I doubt any one met anyone else with different skin colour then. It was probably more a case of, if we go beat up them in next doors cave we can steal all their goats. Then later, neighbouring caves realised if they stuck together they could go beat up more caves en mass and therefore aquire more goats.

Anyway, my point being, skin colour had nothing to do with tribal identity. Racism was bred out of things like slavery, exploitation and ignorance. These things happened much later in human history (pretty much the advent of capitalism). We can't explain away blind ignorance with genetics and tribalism. Group identification did not lead to cultural racism.

 

[Schlong&Stable]

Why would being disgusted by racism not be rational?

The OP said he is sickened by the thought of racism and homophobia. That suggests a degree of emotional instability.

Like most people, I find cannibalism (as a near universal example) to be abhorrent. I don't feel a strong swell of emotions when I think about cannibalism, because that would be bizarre. If I confronted by specific examples, sure. But being sickened by just thinking about it?

Like I said, he was probably being hyperbolic. But if not, it's bizarre.

 

[gandhi]

Gay people are more prone to putting on funny voices and being drama queens and black people more prone to violence as examples.

Can you please provide the source references for these statements? Otherwise, they're sweepingly racist and homophobic comments.

 

[RoboCod]

The OP said he is sickened by the thought of racism and homophobia. That suggests a degree of emotional instability.

Like most people, I find cannibalism (as a near universal example) to be abhorrent. I don't feel a strong swell of emotions when I think about cannibalism, because that would be bizarre. If I confronted by specific examples, sure. But being sickened by just thinking about it?

Like I said, he was probably being hyperbolic. But if not, it's bizarre.

You, the op and everyone else for that matter know its a figure of speech. Stop being silly/trying to catch him out.

 

[Schlong&Stable]

my personal theory is that there's only one thing really that people are scared of: the unknown

fear of the dark, fear of certain countries (russia during the cold war being a great example) ethnic groups, religions or lifestyle choices that people don't truly understand.

homophobia and racism are products of this, seeing people who are "different" and not fully understanding them. the key to fixing this is education.

the simple truth is that the overwhelming majority of people everywhere want the same things: to be able to provide for themselves, and to provide for their family, everything else is just personal preference.

Humans are social creatures who evolved to form "tribes" and competed with other "tribes" for resources. Racism is a manifestation of that very basic in-group, out-group dichotomy. It is a survival trait.

Homophobia is essentially coming from the same place as homosexuality was potentially a liability in a hunter-gatherer and early agrarian society where children were critical to the prosperity of the tribe. Again, a survival trait.

You, the op and everyone else for that matter know its a figure of speech. Stop being silly/trying to catch him out.

I don't know that to be true here at all, as he seems to have created the thread without any specific prompt in mind. This suggests he does have some sort of preoccupation with the thoughts. Again, worrying.

 

[gandhi]

I don't think people are inherently prejudiced in any way. However, I do think they have a genetic mistrust of things that aren't the same as them and this can be colour, ability, language, gender, hair colour etc. I suspect it's deeply ingrained as a result of natural selection in the past, and currently.

People also tend to be afraid of what they don't understand or know anything about. Especially those who don't have the reasoning powers to see why this happens.

Finally, all of the above is currently being used as a tool by the media and the government to stir up hatred to support their own gains. You've only got to look at Daily Mail/Hopkins/Trump/Brexit/Farage etc to see this in progress. If anyone thinks that these people are altruistically using their position in society for the benefit of all then they are extremely short sighted.

What worries me the most is how quickly the Overton Window has shifted so that now discussion of the new right wing politics is almost becoming the normalized, centralist view. And yes, as a result of that shift the idea of Racism and the word Racist is starting to lose its weight.

That is truly sickening.

 

[Efour]

the word Racist is starting to lose its weight.

Fat shaming too, and from Gandhi of all people, shame on you.

 

[gothic_hobbit]

The school that I went to was very homophobic.

So immature and pathetic.

 

[Orionaut]

It makes more sense if you look at slavery as a form of selective breeding, no one wanted a slow weak slave and the weak didn't survive.
So in areas where large concentrations of people can trace their heritage back to people trafficked as slaves it would make sense that they have a natural affinity for being strong and fit.

Might have worked the other way round of course.

Slaves were Lifes Losers.

Enslavement was the consequence of being defeated in battle. Europeans didn't "Raid" west Africa for slaves to transport across the Atlantic. They bought them from the local rulers who had conquered their weaker neighbours and enslaved their defeated (Weaker? Less Intelligent? Etc? :/ ) populations.

Perhaps the decendents of slave populations actually have a range of inherited disadvantages compared to other populations rather than inherited advantages. :/

 

[Junglist]

Some people are just dicks. Luckily those people are turning into the minority

 

[cheesyboy]

What worries me the most is how quickly the Overton Window has shifted so that now discussion of the new right wing politics is almost becoming the normalized, centralist view. And yes, as a result of that shift the idea of Racism and the word Racist is starting to lose its weight.

Not heard about the Overton Window theory before. Like it

 

[RDM]

Virtue signalling was my first thought.

I would hope that "not being racist or homophobic" is the norm rather than a virtue?

 

[XeNoN89]

This thread deeply offends me

I DEMAND A SAFE SPACE

 

[Kuros]

I don't think it's something that's ever going to be solved, to be honest.

I know gay people who bash bisexuals and trans people. I also know racist and homophobic gay people,

It's just in human nature, I think. Where we've got enough differences, people will prejudice on anything and everything.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

The summary of it is: fear of that which is different.

 

[Tosno]

1. They're old and don't know any better.

2. The area they live in has little to no people of colour, so their only opinion is moulded by negative depictions usually found in the media. Luckily not much blatant racist publications, but even subtle ones can influence someones opinion.

3. Or they had one bad experience with a person of colour and painting that entire race negatively due to it.

4. They're stupid.

Assuming all racists are white. OP would be sickened by your racism, if he wasn't virtue signaling.

 

[ScoTTyBEEE]

Threads like these remind me that sometimes it's ok to not to be the ScoTTyBEEE in anyone's life.

Don't be so ScoTTyBEEEphobic. I have gay friends and dated coloured women so I take offence to your offence.

 

[Chojin]

Perhaps the decendents of slave populations actually have a range of inherited disadvantages compared to other populations rather than inherited advantages. :/

The problem is it's become taboo to even question things like that.

There are obvious physical differences between races. Some have advantages and disadvantages in various tasks. Likewise I think there are mental differences that we either don't have the technology to detect, or ignore due to political correctness.

 

[Junglist]

Assuming all racists are white. OP would be sickened by your racism, if he wasn't virtue signaling.

How have you taken 2 and 3 to suggest only white people can be racist. The post you quoted left colour completely out of it

The problem is it's become taboo to even question things like that.

There are obvious physical differences between races. Some have advantages and disadvantages in various tasks. Likewise I think there are mental differences that we either don't have the technology to detect, or ignore due to political correctness.

Like my inability to float. Ruins all of my pool antics.