My flat is currently on one end of one of those online arguments that makes you feel like giving up on humanity completely. This one is same sex marriage vs freedom of religion. A well-respected facebook activist page posted an image that could easily be interpreted as an attack on religion. All religion. Just because it's religion. We called them on it. So now we have an argument between three atheists about whether or not it's wrong to attack someone's religion... when I know for a fact we all know or know of people who have chosen religion over accepting their sexuality and some have died as a result. Why?! Why does this always happen? I'm not welcome at my local queer social group because I am a woman. Christians are not welcome on that page. A highly vocal feminist columnist is publishing hate speech about trans people. Most of the lesbians I know won't date bi girls. I know we're only human.... but is it really so hard to just let each other be?!
Because, ignorance isn't always a bliss... Why can't we all just get along? ♪"Why can't we be friends? Why can't we be friends?" ♪
Short answer: People are stupid. I wish it were solely ignorance, but it's not. Longer answer: Humans have a tendency to form groups. While most groups are largely defined by what the people in them have in common, most also, unfortunately, end up being defined almost as much by what the members are not. Part of why we do this stems from the fact that belonging to a community just feels so good -- we are social animals, after all. Why we have to vilify others in order to accomplish this, I do not know.
Hmm, y'know, I'm not sure - but I'm going to just go ahead and guess that calling other people stupid and/or ignorant simply because they have different beliefs than you may have at least something to do with it . *cough* perpetuation of the cycle *cough*
Getting along means that one might have to admit that he is wrong and/or that there's more than one right answer, which for ignorant and scared people comes as an affront to their intellect or character.
I've got a few pages of notes on this from my psych class To put it simply, like you said, social animals form groups. We have a preconceived notion that our group is 'better' than all other groups, simply because we're a part of it. It doesn't matter how wrong we are... as long as we identify with that group, it is the 'best' group. And if another group threatens how 'good' or 'right' we are, we have to do one of two things: 1) Do something to make our group superior to theirs 2) Do something to make their group inferior to ours It's a giant social safety net, really. We attack other groups to preserve our status as the best group. And if you think your group is not the best group... then you really aren't identifying with that group anymore. And since you don't identify with that group, you can now see the flaws you previously conveniently overlooked.
