What are we all afraid of?

[grannywils]

Ok, we don't want to discuss courtesy. Let's talk about why it is that so many of us are afraid of everyone who is different from us.

 

 

 

I am basically sick to death of prejudice. I have lived with and watched it all my life. I have listened to all the excuses and justifications for each individual's disrespect for or disregard for

another man's issues, when all that is being said is "I don't like him/her/them because of his/her/their race/color/religion/nationality. Pick your poison. You are just afraid of what is

different. And there is always someone around who is willing to play on that fear, isn't there? Let's find someone else to blame; someone to fear. Politicians are especially good at that sort of thing, particularly at election time.

 

Why are we all so afraid of our differences? You can tell me until you turn blue that this

race is lazy. You are full of crap. (I apologize for the language) You can say that these people are cheap. Again you are full of crap. This nationality are drunks. Again, full of crap. These people are terrorists. Full of crap. I believe I have heard every single solitary demeaning, ridiculous

generalization that could be made about any group there is. What is the matter with us, people?

I had originally inserted actual races, religions and nationalities in those above slots. But I just could not stand to say that stuff out loud. It is too offensive to me.

 

We are all the same. We are all human beings. What is this nonsense all about? If no one responds to this thread, I will just assume that everyone on the Nexus believes as I do that all men and women are equal. There are no differences, and the hatred that exists in the world today is not understandable to anyone else on this site either. Because it really annoys the heck out of me.

 

[Balagor]

Once upon a time 4 stoneage fishermen had 4 fishes. Along came stranger, and he was hungry too. They tried to figure out how to split the 4 fishes into 5. The stranger got an idea, and got his club and knocked one of them dead. Now they could eat. Since that day we have feared each other.

What I try to say, is that there is nothing wrong by being carefull, when a stranger approaches, it has always been like that becaus of the limitation of resources.

What is wrong today is the paranoia like fear that lies in our culture, not between cultures, but even our own. I do not have a simple answer, but it could have something to do with the fact that we as individuals are becomming aliens in our own society. That could perhaps be because we have left the way of living that we had in the stoneage, all for one, and one for all. We now have a society divided into a lot of subcultures, thus making us uncertain to find a place where we belong, or making us uncertain towards the other subcultures.

We did not have that issue earlier when we lived in a more homogenic society, when we had a common ruleset, and everybody did the same. However we had other issues that prevented the individual from personal innovation, and I do not advocate for a society like that.

[htomsirveauxjr]

It's not always a two way street, you know. Militant Islamic Jihad types and the citizens of Best Korea arent ready to agree with you.

 

I'm not afraid of different cultures, I don't want to hate and kill, but that does not mean that I have to like them.

[AliasTheory]

Haven't we discussed this enough? I suppose we need another topic...

 

http://www.thenexusforums.com/index.php?/topic/236221-this-needs-to-stop/

 

I understand this is broader than just racial issues, but my point still stands. Human beings are naturally this way; we create such fallacies based on our past experiences. History has its lessons, but there will always be a certain amount of the population which will reject it or pass by it. I believe such actions can never be completely erased from this world, but each generation of people is getting better about it. There is far less of all of which you describe going on today, but it all definitely still exists. In short, it sucks and we just need to hope for the best...and not contribute in the process.

[Balagor]

It's not always a two way street, you know. Militant Islamic Jihad types and the citizens of Best Korea arent ready to agree with you.

Wich part, and did you ever ask some of them, or do you just think so?

 

I'm not afraid of different cultures, I don't want to hate and kill, but that does not mean that I have to like them.

Neither am I, but I feel better in my own subculture, now that I am older.

[htomsirveauxjr]

It's not always a two way street, you know. Militant Islamic Jihad types and the citizens of Best Korea arent ready to agree with you.

Wich part, and did you ever ask some of them, or do you just think so?

My fault. I should have been more specific. I wasn't talking to you.

 

I'm not sure what your last part there means though. When did we have a homogeneous society like that? It was always my impression that there has been a ruling/caste system of some sort. I can picture what you are saying in some kind of tribal system, but surely not society as a whole.

[Vindekarr]

It's because they have nothing concrete to settle their minds on.

 

We have our emotional spectrum for a reason. And while many say "oohh, dont hate, hate is howwible!" those people are, to borrow Granny's wonderfully apt description, are full of crap.

 

Hatred is simply another form of determination, use it well, it's not only a mighty weapon, a huge courage reserve, and a massively effective motivator, but also simply a part of who we are.

 

But in this weak and cowardly modern age, we've had so many generations of "civil" people telling us to deny our emotions, that we try and do so. With no way to unleash that violent hatred, we turn it on our fellow men.

 

I've seen that all too often, people with a lot of hate in them and no useful way to spend it. It's another sort of energy, like passion and zeal, it will protect, armour you, and make you strong enough to survive any challenge, but if you dont use it, it will use you. And that's why most racist fools act as such.

 

All actions have consequences, apathy can lead to racism in the right circumstances.

 

Ofcourse, it's all worthless politics, all those hated groups, women, gays, religious factions, races, pigs, car owners, ect ect, they are all simply human being as worthy of a place on this earth as you, but by hating them , you make youself the subhuman one. Use hate well and it can be a mighty force of good, misuse it, or become an apathetic couch slug, and you'll not only waste it, but probably eventualy become yet another of those hatefull worms.

[ginnyfizz]

Be careful, Vindekarr. I find it difficult to explain why without venturing into the realms of one of the topics that is not allowed on these forums, let me put it this way - there are those of us (and even in this day and age we number in our billions) who have a set of beliefs that directs us not to hate, and to suggest that we are all full of crap is needlessly insulting. Some of us put our lives on the line to help others. Just Google some of the major disasters of recent years and see which charities jumped into the breach.

 

I believe Balagor made a very sensible point. It is most certainly part of human nature to be wary, to be suspicious. But in most cases, reason will overcome the suspicion and we will learn from other cultures and groups in society and be enriched by them. But hatred...hatred can eat you up, destroy you...combined with ignorance, prejudice and suspicion, it can turn you into, well, Adolf Hitler for example. Quod erat demonstrandum.

[Vindekarr]

Vicoria Veritas, Victoria Fidelus. "victory above truth, victory above loyalty"

 

Personaly, I think that in this day and age we're starting to forget why even have disaster and need charities.

 

You think hatred can overwhelm and destroy? just try compassion, that's a thousand times more destructive when you let it overwhelm you. You'd give away everything you had and only make some weak drudge a target by doing so.

 

The simple fact of the matter is that we need balance.

 

Those who advocate hatred, anger, and the boliteration of difernece, are fools, they're dead fools too, because one of those days, the diferent will become sick of being hunted...

 

Those who advocate peace, love, and compassion are fools. And dead fools, since one day, one of those helpless wretches is going to realise he can get two cups of rice, not one, by raiding MSF supply depots.

 

Those however, who actualy allow themselves to lead a balanced life, may actualy live to see middle age, god forbid, maybe even retirement. Life without hatred denies you determination, agression, and righteous rage-all vital in one wya or another, if you go the other way, you become a helpless target, you're final words will likely be "you can shoot me, just dont do it hatin' "

 

Balance in the only form of "wisdom" that exists. Letting yourself experience the full range of emotions is critical if you dont want to get carried away and driven mad by one single one.

 

And an important footnote. Hatred is something not everyone understands. Hatred is the very embodyment of anger, fury, and the lust to get even, to destroy. And it's enormously useful if you can control it. If you can control it, it'll give you nearly endless courage and determination. If you cant, it'll drive you insane and you'll probably end up badly injuring someone or yourself. It's not some vague concept of wanting to obliterate a group, that's somethign entirely diferent, focused hate is an enormously powerful tool for those with the bravery and self fcontrol to use it.

[Surenas]

Fear is the path to the dark side.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

I sense much fear in you!

...

I'm not afraid.

Ohhh... you will be, you will be!

...

Hear you nothing that I say?

I don't believe it!

And that is why you fail...

[Master Yoda sayings]

 

Man always fears the unknown otherness that he is not willing to understand, to accept as a given fact.

And hate is the dark tool to deny the own fear by massive suppression of all otherness up to genocide.

Raving madness, apocalypse now! No further comment on the horrible blood trail of hate necessary...

 

Baruch haba b'Shem Adonai

Shabbat Shalom http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_smilina_knicks.gif