#Xenophobia and #racism, based on my observations, have 3 main causes -
1. Primal Reflex
2. Defence Against Inadequacy
3. Guilty Pleasure
Explanations follow.
1. Primal Reflex
2. Defence Against Inadequacy
3. Guilty Pleasure
Explanations follow.
1. Primal Reflex: This is evolutionary, a result of mostly homogenous groups living and evolving together, where a heterogenous encounter almost always resulted in conflict. Fortunately, humans have evolved faster to overcome this reflex.
For example, trade flourished between heterogenous groups after the world population had exceeded a threshold and there was surplus production (both due to agriculture).
2. Defence Against Inadequacy: This builds upon the latent primal reflex and is what accounts for the majority of racism and xenophobia. An irrational attribution of bad characteristics to an "other" group takes off an immense load of introspection and self-improvement.
When this "othering" is open and widespread, such attributions also help entire societies in cultivating a positive self-image without repercussions of peer judgement.
This is predominantly a male response and also serves to maintaining adequate level of endorphins and hormones to prop up the male psyche.
This effect is also tapped into by divisive socio-political movements. The reason many nationalist movements begin with some form of xenophobia is because both generate, as well as are fuelled by, androgens.
3. Guilty Pleasure: This is for the 1% (not in the economic sense). Mostly the self-aware deviants or those with clinical personality disorders. This group has proportional representation from all genders.
Here, the expression of xenophobia and racism is a calculated activity and serves to provide glee at the degradation of others rather than to improve the self-image.
These is my hypothesis, not belief.
I wish the world learnt to live together happily. 😊
I wish the world learnt to live together happily. 😊
