Are you born a bigot or is it a choice?

Oh yeah, I caught the bigoted gene from my moms side.

By the way I hate you and your race, whoever they may be.

 

Environmental definitely. I come from a family of bigots, who're casually racist and prejudiced without even thinking about it. Mum's still got the casual racial slurs though she doesn't exhibit any real prejudicial thinking except in the case of aboriginals around town. Her family would think nothing of driving the ute down to the outskirts of town, all the kids jumping out the back of it and beating the crap out of aboriginals (though to be fair, they started it). They were really a close minded group of people unless they actually met people from the race and got to form friendships.

As a small child we used to bandy about the insult "You're a ching chong chinaman and you can't play cricket", although we'd run around and play with aboriginals as a matter of course without even thinking about it. Nowadays I avoid aboriginals (in the NT anyway, still have abo friends in qld) like I would a sars infected SJ plague victim, and racial differences don't bother me. Fucking SJ bastards and republicans (U.S., not the Australian ones) need to be shot though.

All it takes to overcome the "script" is an outlook that'll accept anyone as a friend, firm skepticism in the government and media, and willingness to see past first impressions. Most people can do that.

1. There is no proof of a "Divinity" element
2. Prayer is a placebo. Saying or thinking words doesn't do anything except influence your own self. That in itself is quite the thing.

 

Interesting topic Satya. My guess is that upbringing has an important effect. I´ll offer some countercounterarguments to the counterarguments you listed:

1. Bigotry may or may not be genetically controlled and we just don´t know that yet. Most things are to a certain extent. But as developing brains are very sensitive to environmental cues, parenting should have a large influence.

2. This might be impossible to prove empirically.

3. Their actions matter more than their ability or inability to choose.

4. Bigotry may be useful in some situations, and therefore wouldn´t classify as an illness.


Tell me what you think.

 

?

 

It's a choice, always a choice. Up till a certain age social interaction and family can play a role in taking responsibility but once a kid realises they can choose their own path and morals to live by it's all on them. Bigotry is an outwardly projected thing placing judgement on others, sexuality is an internal thing, they cannot realistically be compared but I see what you did there

 

The bible is just a book. Not even the oldest book. I'd sooner believe my "A History of the english speaking peoples" as fact than the bible.

 

Just because you don't believe in The Book of Shai'Gar, doesn't mean it isn't true.

We COULD do this all day

 

I don't enable them, I pity them. I also love listening to the idiots because I love getting enraged at them spouting bullshit on the radio.

Just because I cop to my prejudices and make no bones about my background, does not mean I enable them.

 

I have the bittersweetness of enabling everyone.