Can We Look At Bigotry Like A Virus?

[Premmy]

The fact that this thread was started with a quote from a movie in which the black guy was the ONLY one to die is kinda hilarious.

[POS Industries]

Originally Posted by Premonitions

The fact that this thread was started with a quote from a movie in which the black guy was the ONLY one to die is kinda hilarious.

Well, technically his family also died in that helicopter crash scene but yeah that doesn't really make it any better.

[Magus]

Originally Posted by Seil

But can we look at bigotry like a virus? I have very minimal experience with looking at the human brain, so I was wondering... could we look at bigotry as a virus? Something to be cured chemically? Obviously there are mood altering drugs on the market, and each alters or introduces chemicals to the brain.

If it is possible to do so with prescription medication, why is it not possible to alter the brain in such a way that someone could love instead of hate?

Did you not see Serenity and how bad shit happens when you do that and everyone dies because they no longer have hate and anger and lust to keep them alive OR they go absolutely insane and become space cannibals?

[Thadius]

Wait. A topic on NPF discussing how to make the world a better place? What is the internet coming to?!

But more seriously. I'd like to think that portions of my current mindset are a step towards a world without bigotry and racism. I don't discriminate against anyone based on skin tones or personal beliefs, which are a few issues in the world today. Rather, I choose to discriminate against specific people based on their actions towards myself, along with their actions towards the public at large.

However it is at that point that my mindset fails. I hate everyone indiscriminately until they prove they have a brain and use it. Maybe I could work on it, but it's much less effort to hate everyone.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

Couldn't hate be an evolutionary instinct? There was a time where our ancestors needed to outperform each other and bigotry and the like came about as a way of motivating us to compete against each other.

[Magus]

I don't know, I always wonder what some of the ancient empires could have accomplished if they assimilated their conquered peoples into their culture and made them full citizens instead of colonizing and oppressing them. I was just thinking earlier today about the immigration issue and how quickly the economy could grow if we granted amnesty to all the illegal immigrants and started taxing them, and increased immigration. GDP would have to go up and I think it would go up a lot.

Now, if we were in a time period of armed expansion, like empires in the past, think of how powerful and widespread an empire could become that promised, with complete proof, a better life than their foes' people's were currently having, with no threat of cultural destruction, etc. Like, if Rome hadn't committed genocide against Carthage but just, y'know, killed off the royal family and then taxed all the Carthaginians...but at a lower rate than they had been getting taxed at. And just made them Roman citizens. Things would've went way better for the Roman empire if they'd had that policy instead of oppression and abuse.

So to say that "hate" in the past allowed people to be successful is true, but it seems like it could be even more successful without the hate and more logical thinking, i.e., "hey, we could tax these people instead of killing them, AND have them fight for us because we're so nice to them".

[Hanuman]

Originally Posted by Meister

The theme of being made to be physically unable to feel or express emotions regared as negative reminds me more of A Clockwork Orange, actually.

Maybe if you split the concept of feeling and expressing into the two parts of the movie, but it was my impression that because the protagonist was a sociopath it was only by making him feel negative emotions that they stopped him from expressing it on others, though I believe the ending suicide was an example of both feeling and expressing his inner demons.

[Ecks]

Originally Posted by Magus

I am the smartest person ever.

Yes, yes you are.

Seriously, Magus touched on EXCELLENT points. I've often wondered that myself.

The answer to why they didn't do things that way, is of course, Pride, that wonderful, and yet horrible little bitch who ruins all great things, be they man or empire.

[Nique]

Belife is not the same as a disorder. I don't see how you can 'cure' a belife. It's more like you have to fight it.

But it is a lovely thought.

[Hanuman]

I was just thinking earlier today about the immigration issue and how quickly the economy could grow if we granted amnesty to all the illegal immigrants and started taxing them, and increased immigration. GDP would have to go up and I think it would go up a lot.

That'd be helping America by hurting the American dream, and we all know Americans love the dream more than the country.

I don't see how you can 'cure' a belief.

Epic-Cure-Us (or Epicurus for short)
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?”