Lunatics running the asylum

But then the question might be is discrimination on
race, class, culture etc...part of the human condition?

Deep waters, answers on a postcard!

comment by NJS (U8272)



posted 12 minutes ago


But then the question might be is discrimination on
race, class, culture etc...part of the human condition?

Deep waters, answers on a postcard!

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yeah.. I believe it is, unfortunately NJS

I think it is a human condition. I think most humans are defensive of others they don't know, understand or know sufficiently about. The majority can deal with this reasonably and will learn from each other, some just can't deal with it.

As for north/south divides, I saw this in Holland of all places. I lived in the south (Limburg) and the locals I used to drink with often said that dutch in the north used to look down on them, in a social sense, mocking their accent and how they lived, which supposedly was different. That always made me laugh given I hailed from the UK where accents are vastly different within a 20 mile radius, let alone north, south, east or west.

I think it is a human condition. I think most humans are defensive of others they don't know, understand or know sufficiently about. The majority can deal with this reasonably and will learn from each other, some just can't deal with it.
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It's not just us, this is true in animal kingdom, for our own survival its inbuilt to pre-judge those from outside of our tribe.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/evolution-of-prejudice/

However, with our self awareness, there is no excuse to be so tone deaf to todays societal issues that we see an anti racism campaign such as this.

Yes evolution of prejudice...a good example of that
is the 19th century American Civil War...
Many years ago i went toKentucky,which was a border
state in the war and changed hands many times from the Yankees to Confederates, families and their
friends fell out over which side to fight for...to this
day in Kentucky relatives don't speak to each other
depending on which side they aligned with...I've
seen this for myself...evolution of prejudice through
many generations...

Kentucky was one of the most racially prejudiced
places I've ever visited...white over black was very
marked...black people still doing mundane low pay
jobs for white landowners in the late 20th century.

comment by Jonty (U4614)
posted 16 minutes ago
I think it is a human condition. I think most humans are defensive of others they don't know, understand or know sufficiently about. The majority can deal with this reasonably and will learn from each other, some just can't deal with it.
---
It's not just us, this is true in animal kingdom, for our own survival its inbuilt to pre-judge those from outside of our tribe.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/evolution-of-prejudice/

However, with our self awareness, there is no excuse to be so tone deaf to todays societal issues that we see an anti racism campaign such as this.
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Hope my comment wasn't perceived as defending that campaign ….. never the intention. Just giving my view, without the benefit of that link, on how I think humans (and yes, others in the animal kingdom) are and behave.

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

VOF, didn't see it as a defence, just remembered this interesting article from some years back. Suspicion of others is hardwired into us, so it's a natural reaction.

I can't condone someone for a natural reaction, but you can judge on what level of effort they go to mitigate that natural reaction.

Before I married my wife, her mum hated the idea of me marrying her as I am Jewish and she is old aristocratic German lady. I didn't hold that against her as she was a product of society from her time and once she met me she could not have been more welcoming as she ensured her old environmental prejudices did not come into play.

Tommy, no worries, welcome back.

It's a really good article Jonty - read it over lunchtime. Provokes some thought for sure.

I'm first to admit I grew up in a family and society full of prejudices, many of which I carried into adult life - even into the military life I went into. But I like to think I've wised up and chilled a lot. Life's too short and full of things to really worry about (i.e. Boris!!) to carry baggage and negative perceptions about other people in life.

I remember standing on the streets off Belfast in 85, British Uniform, stood in a Catholic area by a gate leading into a garden, a young lad stood at the other side of the fence, wasn't to friendly towards me, but, as seen as it was a Peace March and I was stuck on the I don't know, in some eyes the wrong side, and the other eyes I shouldn't have even been there!..

Stood there for a couple off hours and for some reason me and this lad who'd been giving me hell got talking about Football, of coarse he had to have Celtic drummed into him somewhere along the line, and me being Leeds it was a bit off a laugh!..

Question I've never forgotten, this from a 14/15 year old kid!..

Would you kill someone?..

I asked him would his so called hero's kill me, he replied yes!..

I said well there's your answer!..

This sort off thing isn't only colour, it's also the upbringing, most has to do with family and people around you, like you said Jonty, your wife's mother, but I know there are a lot in Britain that are the same as my wife's first husband, his parents were very anti German!..

The kids need educating, but to do it the parents need to lose that angry upbringing they were taught and learn there is more to life!..