As many people have, I have been following the latest media brouhaha about the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Gates by the Cambridge police and the ensuing allegations of racism, which President Obama inadvertently (and dumbly) fueled in his press conference remarks.
The talking heads have been talking about this "disease of racism" which continues to scourge us. I would suggest - and this is to be explored at length in the book - that the disease isn't racism, that is a symptom. The disease is hatred - a trait that can be used with great destructive force.
I'm not talking about the kind of hatred of certain foods that stops you from eating them - or even the kind of hatred we might feel towards someone who has hurt us. The destructive disease of hatred comes from our human desire to destroy a group that is different and therefore perceived as threatening to our survival. It's the hatred of immigrants. It's the hatred of gay people. It's the hatred of Muslims.
These all come from the same place - that emotionally charged fear of the "other" - the other tribe which may encroach upon our territory. Human's are inherently afraid of those that are different and it causes us to hate them...which enables us to lose our empathy...which makes it easier to harm them. It's a pretty vicious cycle.
Fascinating approach, and truly enlightened opinions!
ReplyDeleteWhat other traits do you think can be used with 'great destructive force?' Personally, I think a massive penis is one thing that simply can't be overlooked. Granted, a massive penis, like racism, may be symptomatic of a greater disease: in this case, overblown testosterone. It can, itself, be seen as a further corollary 'disease,' however, in that it can create an inflated and entirely unjustified sense of self worth.
Could you please comment on your own experiences with massive penises? I'd love you hear your feedback. Thanks!
Ha!
ReplyDeleteI value your comment and appreciate the quality of your writing :)
And I don't have much to say about penis size but I certainly understand an inflated sense of self worth...
fool...the disease is not hatred..it is love.. all the way.. exciting.. devastating.. spark inducing love..
ReplyDelete