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big·ot·ry: obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction; in particular, prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
So now that we know what it is, what causes it?
Is it innate like a fear of falling, or is it something acquired from experience like learning to hate a once loved spouse?
And what role does disgust play?
Are we naturally disgusted by outside groups, or do we develop revulsion to them?
I know the answer. Don't know if it will be believed but here goes. Prejudice against people based on their group membership is also called stereotyping. We have preconceptions, stereotypes, about different groups of people.
Now, do we stereotype because of hate or fear or disgust? NO. We stereotype because it is a natural and essential aspect of thinking. The stereotypes we form are based on our experiences, and what we hear about from others. There is no possible way for us to function in the world if we did not form stereotypes.
Now, are the stereotypes we form always fair and accurate? No, of course not. We often have bad or incomplete information. But in general, our stereotypes often make sense and allow us to navigate reality.
Can our stereotypes be cruel and hateful? Yes, of course they can. Stereotypes are often unfair -- for example, there is a stereotype of old people that says they are forgetful. That is often true, but not always. If you are an old person with a good memory, you will be unfairly stereotyped.
The same kind of thing happens with racial and ethnic groups, and with every kind of group.
Everyone got the answer right so far... it's fear. These are basic animal survival instincts we are dealing with here. Psychology 101. We are wired through several hundred thousand years of evolution to trust our tribe and fear another tribe because that other tribe may kill you.
Yes, true. We are familiar with our own "tribe," we know what to expect from the other members. Strangers, on the other hand, are less predictable.
Lefties would like this to be one big happy world where everyone loves everyone. But people you don't know might kill or rob you, might do all kinds of not nice things.
We decide carefully who to trust or not. Now of course Americans are a gigantic tribe, with many sub-tribes. We trust people more who are more similar to ourselves. This isn't just primitive outdated fear -- it's just as important today to be wary of strangers.
It's a survival mechanism built into our DNA. Go back to caveman days. When each day was a struggle for survival, you had to trust your immediate clan to survive. That clan in the cave across the river? Can't trust them because if they found you alone with the deer you just got, they'd take the deer and leave you for dead. Even if you crawled back to your cave, their clan at that night and yours didn't.
It's really only when you have abundance that your primitive brain can stop worrying about it's own survival and consider sharing with others.
That's just a myth that primitive humans had a difficult and miserable life. There are MANY studies by anthropologists showing that idea to be false.
Everyone got the answer right so far... it's fear. These are basic animal survival instincts we are dealing with here. Psychology 101. We are wired through several hundred thousand years of evolution to trust our tribe and fear another tribe because that other tribe may kill you.
I agree that the tribe members of another tribe could be a threat, but they could just as easily be essential trading partners, vital sources of new knowledge and the means by which my otherwise genetically isolated tribe (perfect targets for dangerous pathogens that specialize in my kind of people) could stay one step ahead of rapidly-evolving viruses.
Having said that, yes, they might also kill us.
They could hurl spears or rocks at us, capture and enslave us or they might give us a virus for which we have no immunity.
If we evolved to fear outside groups, we also evolved to trade, share knowledge and inter-marry with them.
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