Everyone knows that people sometimes demonize other people. That is, they portray them as entirely or almost entirely evil and certainly as less than fully human.
Sometimes it seems to me that nearly every group in human history has at one time or another been victims of attempts to demonize them. Perhaps the most famous example is the Nazi demonization of the Jews during the 1930s and 40s. But in addition to the Jews, you could also easily point to the efforts of various people and groups to demonize Westerners, Muslims, gays, Christians, Arabs, Liberals, Conservatives, Blacks, Irish, and on and on and on....
One odd thing about demonizing people is it is never really accurate or fair, but it is nevertheless a powerful means of stiring up animosity and hatred towards the targetted group. Put differently, for demonization to work -- and it does indeed work --- people must be willing and able to be made fools. They must be willing and able to believe what is manifestly untrue -- that someone -- such as a Jew, a Gay, an Arab, or a Black -- is less than human. But what makes people so susceptible to such nonsense? Why are people so easily made fools? Why are they so easily duped about other people?
More over, what does it say about the potential for humans to get along peacefully with each other that they are so easily turned against each other?
And last, given the ease with which people can be turned against other people through demonization, should demonization -- or at least should hate crimes -- be prosecuted with greater severity than other crimes?
Sometimes it seems to me that nearly every group in human history has at one time or another been victims of attempts to demonize them. Perhaps the most famous example is the Nazi demonization of the Jews during the 1930s and 40s. But in addition to the Jews, you could also easily point to the efforts of various people and groups to demonize Westerners, Muslims, gays, Christians, Arabs, Liberals, Conservatives, Blacks, Irish, and on and on and on....
One odd thing about demonizing people is it is never really accurate or fair, but it is nevertheless a powerful means of stiring up animosity and hatred towards the targetted group. Put differently, for demonization to work -- and it does indeed work --- people must be willing and able to be made fools. They must be willing and able to believe what is manifestly untrue -- that someone -- such as a Jew, a Gay, an Arab, or a Black -- is less than human. But what makes people so susceptible to such nonsense? Why are people so easily made fools? Why are they so easily duped about other people?
More over, what does it say about the potential for humans to get along peacefully with each other that they are so easily turned against each other?
And last, given the ease with which people can be turned against other people through demonization, should demonization -- or at least should hate crimes -- be prosecuted with greater severity than other crimes?
