General Discussion

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

79. I think that's a rather shallow assessment, honestly.

Sat Dec 14, 2013, 05:30 AM

Dec 2013

If you're talking about overt racism and sexism and homophobia, sure, there's probably a correlation. But prejudice tends to be subtle and more nuanced and less overtly expressed, for most people. "I'm okay with civil unions but marriage is between a man and a woman." "Black people can be just as racist as whites." "Affirmative action and racial quotas discriminate unfairly against white people." "I'm a men's rights activist and I think feminism is discriminatory." These are all examples of acculturated prejudice based on dominant social norms. (And I'd be willing to bet that if I went and looked I could very probably find similar statements made by posters on this forum.)

And I'm not sure there are very many enlightened people, by that definition.

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I've encountered homophobes, misogynists, sexists, and people who don't care about animals. [View all] NYC_SKP Dec 2013 OP

I tend to agree 1000words Dec 2013 #1

You are mostly correct. Agschmid Dec 2013 #2

My dear NYC_SKP... CaliforniaPeggy Dec 2013 #3

Hi Peggy! NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #5

One thing we do know... ReRe Dec 2013 #24

Yes, I think this is true. His brother was also an odd bird. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #36

very few people are completely enlightened. Even liberals suffer from flaws such as liberal_at_heart Dec 2013 #4

I'd settle for moderately civilized and somewhat empathetic. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #7

The idea of interlocking oppressions is a powerful concept. LeftyMom Dec 2013 #6

Those things tend to be part of the same dysfunction ismnotwasm Dec 2013 #8

+1 freshwest Dec 2013 #19

No, you're not crazy. silverweb Dec 2013 #9

I think Christian religion can cause a person to Pretzel_Warrior Dec 2013 #10

But, don't you think that insisting that a woman Squinch Dec 2013 #82

I dunno but, it seems to describe the Cha Dec 2013 #11

I think that is far too simplistic LittleBlue Dec 2013 #12

I was speaking to liklihoods, not absolutes. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #13

overt bigotry probably has some underlying factors (low iq, lack of empathy etc) La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #14

I agree that there are shades, subtle forms of prejudice that each of us bear. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #16

i study prejudice. it's my area of expertise, hence the randomly pedantic answers La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #50

I love that about you, LOL. bettyellen Dec 2013 #51

that i am randomly pedantic? cos that is a very odd thing to love about me La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #52

for me, it's the odd things that push it from "really like" to "will always love" bettyellen Dec 2013 #53

when are you in town? we should really get a drink soon La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2013 #54

I am always in town lady, and yes we shall. you should give a shout out to Swag and wife... bettyellen Dec 2013 #56

To be honest, I think it varies BootinUp Dec 2013 #15

you are right. and anyone tells you different, well seabeyond Dec 2013 #17

Perfect! NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #20

No, not crazy, doing just fine, conscious and aware of what's going on. Enlightened. Even if... n/t freshwest Dec 2013 #18

I agree. Bonobo Dec 2013 #21

Many of the battles are over details. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #22

I am shocked no one here thought this issue insulted all 6 year old boys... it never fails bettyellen Dec 2013 #55

Or people think you're anti-sex because you have reservations about the porn industry's nomorenomore08 Dec 2013 #38

That's very true, I give you that. Bonobo Dec 2013 #40

Thanks for the positive words. And I agree that both "sides" have been guilty of caricaturing nomorenomore08 Dec 2013 #44

I wouldn't put the animal thing in with the others. Deep13 Dec 2013 #23

Since the suffering of these animals is brought about by humans BrotherIvan Dec 2013 #27

Well said. DLevine Dec 2013 #33

That is so low BrotherIvan Dec 2013 #64

Empathy and pity for the suffering of animals sammythecat Dec 2013 #34

What you said! BrotherIvan Dec 2013 #62

There's a lot of truth in this, but there are exceptions... nikto Dec 2013 #25

Wow, Donald Pleasence kept an iron grip on that scared cat siligut Dec 2013 #60

When your... DirtyDawg Dec 2013 #26

I think enlightenment is more like a path than a light switch hfojvt Dec 2013 #28

Maybe he's weary of stupidity and cruelty? I know I am, nowadays... nomorenomore08 Dec 2013 #35

Very well said. HappyMe Dec 2013 #45

There is a person for every niche. quaker bill Dec 2013 #29

"it's always bad to generalize" rucky Dec 2013 #32

I agree with you. Spot on. nt DLevine Dec 2013 #30

Sometimes people have blind spots rucky Dec 2013 #31

Maybe, but its still better to get to know unique individuals rather than to generalize IronLionZion Dec 2013 #37

That is a very broad brush. Skidmore Dec 2013 #39

Ha, I just posted that it may be a lack of empathy and missed that in your post. LisaLynne Dec 2013 #42

Not always found together, just more likely to find more than one in the same soul. nt NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #43

It is a broad brush but Squinch Dec 2013 #83

I think that can be true. LisaLynne Dec 2013 #41

I agree with you wholeheartedly life long demo Dec 2013 #46

K&R! And many of these same people are happily uninformed Enthusiast Dec 2013 #47

Glad you mentioned Dubya. If you dig, you will find that when he was a baby vanlassie Dec 2013 #49

That's sad. Enthusiast Dec 2013 #65

People as things el_bryanto Dec 2013 #48

Not completely treestar Dec 2013 #57

I agree, actually. Vashta Nerada Dec 2013 #58

What it boils down to is a complete and utter lack of empathy. alarimer Dec 2013 #59

Empathy only exists in highly evolved people... polichick Dec 2013 #61

Lack of empathy is the hallmark of sociopathy. vanlassie Dec 2013 #66

Such an interesting topic - one book I really like on this is... polichick Dec 2013 #67

Have not read that one. Learned a lot from vanlassie Dec 2013 #70

Those look good too. I read Miller's Drama of the Gifted Child... polichick Dec 2013 #73

I'd agree it's hallmark of sociopathy, but not that it's largely preventable polly7 Dec 2013 #84

Failure to form empathy is hormone driven in early years. vanlassie Dec 2013 #87

I agree mainly, however, when it comes to animals, sometimes the most bigoted people joeybee12 Dec 2013 #63

I've observed some who care about animals BainsBane Dec 2013 #68

Sickening, isn't it? Hitler loved dogs, someone said.... NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #69

Alice Miller talks about Hitler's childhood... Want to guess how that went? vanlassie Dec 2013 #71

Now I'm going to have to look that up. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #72

Personal experiences aren't always the best indicators Packerowner740 Dec 2013 #74

It is impossible for a fiercely rightwing Conservative to be enlightened nikto Dec 2013 #75

I don't think that's been my experience RFKHumphreyObama Dec 2013 #76

Respectfully, the notion isn't that all features present in the same subject... NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #77

I personally know a few extreme bigots who love thier pets. idwiyo Dec 2013 #78

I think that's a rather shallow assessment, honestly. Spider Jerusalem Dec 2013 #79

While not all people who like animals OwnedByCats Dec 2013 #80

I don't trust anyone who has no empathy for animals. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #85

Oh me too, can't have any trust for those people OwnedByCats Dec 2013 #90

I'm exactly the same way. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #91

You are so right. Vattel Dec 2013 #81

This message was self-deleted by its author lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #86

I have seen conservatives who love dogs and liberals who are deeply ambivalent toward kids. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #88

Conservatives aren't in the equation. There are plenty of liberal bigots. NYC_SKP Dec 2013 #89