IMPoster
|
6/21/2015 9:02:50 AM
There were three bigots sitting in a big bigot tree
each waiting for the other ones to fall
A small minded bigot, a high minded bigot
And a bigot with no mind at all
The small minded bigot was petty and weak
He wavered when new breezes blew
The high minded bigot climbed up to the top
Looking down on the other two
But the no minded bigot went out on a limb
There was something decidedly scary 'bout him
He threw himself off, without fear, on a whim
His reasoning powers were twisted and slim
Was he a martyr or was he just dim
He knew that the outcome would be pretty grim
... but that's what they told him to do!
|
|
Stoneman
|
6/21/2015 2:10:31 PM
A very subjective question. I think that it depends on what world you live in. If your world has been constantly bombarded by the atrocities committed by bigoted people, it is probably the biggest problem in your personal life/world. Or, if your people have been historically and currently persecuted by bigoted people and policies, then your people probably consider it to be the worlds biggest problem. However, if you have lived the privileged life of those who have benefitted from the historical and present bigoted policies, you probably don't see it as a priority issue at all. The one who has his foot on the neck of the other is more concerned with keeping his dominant position rather than easing off his foot pressure.
I believe that one reason why bigotry is not such a problem for a large segment of all societies is that it is a natural human tendency to give preference to those who are similar to yourself and to abhor those who are different. This tendency comes in many forms including race, religion, politics, sexual preference and even gender. Unfamiliarity often breeds fear. Fear often requires a concerted effort to extinguish all perceived danger through humiliation and dehumanization. By regulating a person or people through forced servitude and captivity, a bigot perceives himself to be superior through might. By systematically portraying the victim as the villain, the bigot conjures up justification for bigoted policies and actions. To the victim his only important mission in life is to regain his humanity by any means necessary. Therefore, to the victim, bigotry is the worlds biggest problem. By discerning which segments of the populations fall into which category, I can hypothesize that bigotry is a very big problem all over the world. But I would also say that the lack of love and empathy for others through out the privileged world would (in my opinion) be an even bigger problem than bigotry. It is one thing to be a practicing bigot. But an even bigger thing to be complacent in the face of bigotry even though you don't support that position. Consider this, several countries stood by and watched the Jews being slaughtered in death camps. Their inaction was just as potent as the actions of the Germans. Millions of people were aware of the slave trade. They profited from over 300 years of free labor. The privileges gained from the elevation of the status of their own people is quite evident. The lack of acknowledgement of that privilege which continues to this day is just as troubling as the actions of those who killed, maimed, conquered and destroyed in order to maintain the preferred perception of their superiority over others.
Is bigotry the biggest problem in the world? Well, the world has a lot of big shit happening all the time. I can't really say if bigotry is the biggest pile of it. But I can say that the smell of bigotry is quite pungent.
|
|