Maybe we should listen to the wisdom of those who have had their country torn apart by sectarianism. Here’s what @crookedshore says are the steps to demonizing the other:
1. Assumption of Malign Intent:
“they intended to cause the harm that we experienced”
2. Distrust:
“every idea or statement by them is wrong, or proposed for dishonest reasons”
3. Externalisation of Guilt:
“everything bad or wrong that has happened to us is their fault”
“they intended to cause the harm that we experienced”
2. Distrust:
“every idea or statement by them is wrong, or proposed for dishonest reasons”
3. Externalisation of Guilt:
“everything bad or wrong that has happened to us is their fault”
4. Attribution of Evil:
“They want to destroy us and what we value most and must therefore be destroyed themselves”
5. Zero-Sum Interests:
“everything that benefits them, harms us and vice versa”
“They want to destroy us and what we value most and must therefore be destroyed themselves”
5. Zero-Sum Interests:
“everything that benefits them, harms us and vice versa”
6. Paranoia and Preoccupation with Disloyalty:
“any criticism of us or praise of them is disloyal and treasonous”
7. Prejudgment:
“everyone in the enemy camp is an enemy”
8. Collapse of Neutrality and Independence into Opposition:
“anyone who is not with us is against us”
“any criticism of us or praise of them is disloyal and treasonous”
7. Prejudgment:
“everyone in the enemy camp is an enemy”
8. Collapse of Neutrality and Independence into Opposition:
“anyone who is not with us is against us”
9. Suppression of Empathy:
“we have nothing in common and considering them human is dangerous”
10.Isolation and Impasse:
“we cannot dialogue, negotiate, cooperate, or resolve conflicts with them”
“we have nothing in common and considering them human is dangerous”
10.Isolation and Impasse:
“we cannot dialogue, negotiate, cooperate, or resolve conflicts with them”
11. Self-fulfilling Prophecy:
“their evil makes it permissible for us to act in a hostile way towards them and vice versa”
How do we protect the vulnerable, and fight for the common good without turning on ourselves? How do we do the right thing and speak the truth? #struggle
“their evil makes it permissible for us to act in a hostile way towards them and vice versa”
How do we protect the vulnerable, and fight for the common good without turning on ourselves? How do we do the right thing and speak the truth? #struggle
