Next time you decide to arbitrarily hate a group of people (blacks, Jews, Muslims, atheists, …), think of this and ask yourself if you are qualified to have an opinion.
Use those frequent flier miles.
Jessica Hagy, Indexed, August 9th, 2006
Xenophobia
5 Comments for Xenophobia
Beth | 20100101 at 09:32
Author comment by Brent Danley | 20100101 at 21:39
It’s an interesting idea, but is not consistent with the general definition of bigotry.
bigotry – stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with grouping things, including people. I don’t even think it’s bad to like a thing because of common characteristics. Hating a group because of characteristics out of their control is always bad.
Bigotry, for that matter, is not always bad, I suppose. I’m a bigot when it comes to Nazism.
I don’t care why a person likes another or has an affinity or affection for a group, regardless how arbitrary is the reasoning. We should all find more reasons to like groups of people different than our own.
We will never be a species that consists exclusive of individuals. That’s unrealistic and unnatural. I submit it would also be unpleasant. Culture requires group cohesion and groups depend on commonalities.
Beth | 20100102 at 08:13
I agree, Brent. I guess it is the intolerance of it that makes me think of bigotry. The thinking of a person that since they have read general media, and checked a few websites, that they are expert on another culture. So much so that they thing they can go and fit right in. Because a recipe on epicurious says it is traditional, that doesn’t make it so. When a person makes it, that doesn’t mean they know about traditional cuisine from that country or culture. Lack of due diligence, an open mind, and intolerance toward information gained through experience seems bigoted to me.
Author comment by Brent Danley | 20100102 at 08:32
The argument is becoming mostly semantic. Every reason–however ill-informed–one has that tends them toward genuine affection for another group is, therefore, a good reason. We need to find more reasons to love each other and fewer that divide.
I like Taco Bell, and even refer to their “cuisine” as “Mexican food”, even though it has little resemblance to the food I ate in Mexico.
Beth | 20100102 at 10:40
Genuine is a good word, Brent.
I was wondering just last night about those who claim to love certain groups, and thinking that is was its own form of bigotry. How can one love a group (blacks, Jews, Swedes, Native Americans) only for those stereotypical traits that are in mis-history books, or in movies. Isn’t any form of lumping people together and painting them with the same brush wrong?