(October 20, 2017 at 11:24 am)Khemikal Wrote: His crash wa blamed on unpatriotic otherism...just as trumps crash is now being blamed on unpatriotic otherism.
We didn't invent this scheme, Brian. We inherited it, and it has a deep provenance. We're no more likely to break the cycle than any before us, because it appeals deeply to fundamental components of humanity. We've been at it, in some form or another, since recorded history..and I'm willing to bet it didn't start then either. Some things you have to find a way to stymy in spite of themselves, rather than hope for their rejection or disappearance.
For example, giving the bigots and political bullies some do nothing fools errand that appeals to their particular bigotries and yet still manages to serve the rest of us, even if only to divert their considerable enthusiasm.
Outside the issue of American politics, I have consistently said humans have a tendency to defend what they are used to, we think locally and have a tendency to defend that which we are accustom to. It is evolutionary to group, and we did evolve to be social.
But no sorry, that is not an excuse to ignore it "just because". You look at how our species was 10,000 years ago, vs how our pluralistic west has evolved to get past our tribalism, we can.
We ended slavery, women have the right to vote, we ended segregation, and now gays are allowed to get married. Yes, fear will always exist, but it is not an excuse to cling to the past either.
You will never 100% get rid of our species irrational fear, and it will be a constant battle sure, but it is not one to ever be ignored. Again, we are more open than we were 200 years ago, but it was only because brave people refused to accept the status quo.
If our species never questioned social norms, our species never would have left the caves. I'd only agree that the best you can do is mitigate and keep the fear to a minimum. But isn't something you can give free reign. The politics of "otherism" when left unchecked never ends up well.
I am not talking about private citizens or no name people. I am talking about politicians in seats of power. When they start doing that, bad things follow.
