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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2605505 No.2605505 [Reply] [Original]

/sci/, is there an explanation for why humans have a hostility towards anything that might be different from them? Throughout history there has always been unfounded hatred towards people of different skin color, race, sexuality, religion and a bunch of other mundane things. I feel that it's silly to think that we're supposed to be the most intellectually inclined organisms to our current knowledge and still be unable to stop having us killing each other over this issue (in increasingly creative methods). Are we the only species to do this? Even then, is it a learned behavior or an instinctive mechanism?

And if it's really a learned behavior, then how did it come about and why? I can't help but wonder how far back it all goes.

>> No.2605529

>>2605505
>I feel that it's silly to think that we're supposed to be the most intellectually inclined organisms to our current knowledge

>implying the dolphins won't take over after the worldwide flood

>> No.2605528

>learned behavior
Nope. It's basic and genetically encoded tribalism, the price of being a social species.

>> No.2605532

>>2605505
Better to be safe that sorry OP. It's as simple as that.

>> No.2605554

>>2605532
THAN sorry. fucking fingers.

>> No.2605572

I have no idea how the more intelligent social animals behave...

Fear of the unknown? I think that hate only gets, err... passed on, by upbringing. 'Son, don't hang around those black people, they'll steal your shit' etc.

>> No.2605579

>>2605572
>implying experience doesn't make one racist.

>> No.2605582

>>2605528
Still, how come it took humans a ridiculously long amount of time to begin to adapt small feelings of tolerance? Can we not evolve as a species to overcome it eventually?

>> No.2605591

>>2605582
Could we? Sure. When we develop the technology to rewrite our genes.

Will we? Better question.

>> No.2605594

>>2605582
>Still, how come it took humans a ridiculously long amount of time to begin to adapt small feelings of tolerance
What exactly do you mean?

>> No.2605630
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2605630

>>2605594
Until recently, slavery has been the norm and segregation was a given, and not just the blacks either. Only now there is a more, I guess you could say "mainstream" acceptance that the very concept of this unfounded hatred and opposition is quite simply nonsensical.

>> No.2605638

fear of the unknown is a trait that favors survival. think about tribal man, the one who assumes the cracking branch is a lion and runs. lives weather hes right or wrong. the one who assumes its not dangerous dies when hes wrong. so the geans that lead to fear and jumping to conclusions, continue.
as we join with other people, our security can increase, but our autonomy lessens. the "other" can also take food from you or harm you. its only been recant (evolutionary speaking) that connecting with others has been offering more gains for all. As a smart creature, we are learning that different doesn't necessarily constitute threat.

>> No.2605646

>>2605505
fear of the unknown
/thread

>> No.2605661

>>2605630
It's only nonsensical in a very modern society. Tribalism conveys immense evolutionary advantage. That's why it developed in the first place. Morality arose as a tool to ensure a tribe wouldn't turn against itself - but beyond that tribe, it's always been open game until relatively recently in human history.

The only reason we have some measure of tolerance in society now is because of how attached we are to the status quo - we haven't evolved, society's just changed the rules. The us vs them mentality is very much alive, and I seriously doubt it will ever die, the possibility of some freaky transhumanistic reprogramming aside.

>> No.2605670

>>2605630
You're taking a VERY western "1st world" look at everything you know?
Slavery is still very prevalent in some parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Also, Slavery was really little to do with racism and more to do with cheap labour/profit. It was just founded on/"backed by" some racist ideals.

>> No.2605709

Human violence is definitely instinctive. It is evolutionarily advantageous, because screwing over your neighbor for your own gain is often an effective strategy.

We are not alone in this. Most other animals will kill others of their own species if they perceive them as a threat. The only scenario in nature where animals help each other is in social groups like gazelle herds or ant colonies. We have our own social groups. We help those within them and don't give a fuck about anyone outside them.

This is why philosophy and religion have been preaching the benefits of nonviolence and love for millenia. Societies that adopt these ideals, through religion or law, do better and prosper. Note that while hostility is adaptive for individuals it is maladaptive for a society. Thus we have our current situation of individuals trying to screw everyone over, and societies trying to keep our base impulses in check via law and religion.

>> No.2605714

>>2605661
So it seems like it's necessary to have some kind of common enemy for a society to work?


I think it takes just one generation to change that. I sincerely believe that space travel, or to be more exact a common goal could stop this mistrust in each other because of racial differences.

>> No.2605731

>>2605714
Depends on what you mean by "change that". Is it possible society will move to a point where people put it aside? Sure, I suppose. Tribalism will still be there, however, deep inside all of us, waiting for some injustice to cause people to take sides and pick up the wooden sticks.

Don't fool yourself, you won't see humanity naturally evolve. It doesn't work that fast.

>> No.2605728

>>2605670
Which is why I said "small", I know that slavery still exists in other parts of the world, it's just that tolerance itself is at the highest point it's been in recorded history, which again, isn't much.

>> No.2605726

>>2605579
I have lived among black people for 3 years, I have talked to them, dealt with them, I haven't been stolen a single thing and I'm not racist.

You're the trash of the Earth.

>> No.2605753

everyone hates everyone.

sauce on op's pic?

>> No.2605779
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2605779

>>2605714
>So it seems like it's necessary to have some kind of common enemy for a society to work?
Which is why this man had the right idea.

>> No.2605794

>>2605726
What sort of black people?

>> No.2605855
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2605855

bumping with cityscapes

>> No.2605868

>>2605731
You are probably right. I tend to forget that we are civilized (whatever that means) for a very short time.

Do you think that the errr...growing gene-diversity will help in lessening preset racistic thoughts in coming generations?

>> No.2605892

>>2605868
Very slightly, but nothing noticeable in our lifetimes, and with the approach of biological immortality that may be a rather long period of time.

>> No.2605920

>/sci/, is there an explanation for why humans have a hostility towards anything that might be different from them?
evolution

>> No.2605946
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2605946

>> No.2605968

>>2605726
I have 7 years under my belt and I'm pretty fucking racist.

The problem with black people is if it isn't one thing it's something else. I work with a nigger bitch and everyday she comes in with the worst attitude. But hey, maybe you're right I should love and accept her for that though huh? I guess I should be thankful for hiding her toothless mandible with a big ugly nigger frown.

>> No.2605976

>>2605892
>the approach of biological immortality
Don't get your hopes up, immortality is still far off, if acheivable at all. We will die like 100 billion other humans before us.

>> No.2605988

It's OK, OP. We have hard-wired disapproval of out-groups, but it's not naturally strong - it can become so, however, depending largely on impressions during childhood.

So it's instinctual, but hate-groups are very, very much learned.

tl;dr "Everyone's a little bit racist"

>> No.2606022

yeah OP if there is a loin that looks disfigard. missing a eye and eye ectect the rest of the pack you will reject the lion and make it leave the pack.

so no human are not the only ones that do shit like that.

>> No.2606042

>>2605968
I love you

>> No.2606058

>>2606022
YEAH BUT HUMANS ARE LIEK ABOVE THAT MAN WE'RE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT STOP BEING RACIST.

>> No.2606076

answer to post = ignorance.

>> No.2606108

>>2606076
>chimpanzee A is scared of poachers because chimpanzee A has seen what they can do so is scared of all humans
>chimpanzees b doesnt know about poachers so it approaches them
>chimpanzee B is killed while Chimpanzee A is "ignorant" but alive.
Its the best I could do but do you see what I mean?