Xenophobia

Do you think that the various nations, races etc each have their own different characteristics and behaviours?
This is where I have a problem - it's some of these behaviours that I don't like, rather than individual people.
Applies to my own nation too - is that the same as xenophobia?

Also is "natural", "ignorance"?
Not so sure.

I agree with most of these comments.

What I am struggling to understand is, if there are school exchanges and the likes, how do these things not work necessarily in the wider communities?

There are areas of the UK where certain nationalites congregate almost to the complete exclusion of others. So something is not working somewhere.

Do you think there should be no muslim schools Granny23? I doubt if that will ever happen. Same with Catholic schools. So long as they are properly 'Ofsteded' and, hopefully, mix with non muslim schools in the area, they will have to be accepted. Andwhy not?

Should have also added the value of school exchanges where pupils swap places with their counterparts from other countries often resulting in life long friendships and certainly enlightening for all concerned. Being given an indepth insight into one other culture leaves young people with a more open mind about all other cultures.

Mixing with others IS education.

I don't know if it is education so much as mixing with 'others' that breaks down barriers and the feelings of 'otherness'. Our local cubs were invited to visit the local Mosque (which is just a big room over some shops. There they were met and entertained to food, music and songs by the community - their main hosts being a couple of Scouts who are of that faith. They came away with a better understanding of their Muslim neighbours style of dress, diet etc. and were surprised to find that they had far more in common (curries, Scouting, sports and schools, etc) than differences.

Also, one of the big successful groups of the YES campaign in the Scottish Referendum was 'Celtic and Rangers Fans for YES' when fans from both rival clubs came together amicably under a common banner.

I am totally opposed to faith schools and educational segregation by gender or religion, believing that schools should be secular, the intake based on those who live nearest to the school. It is impossible to perceive people as 'other' when you have attended the same schools, joined the same social/sports clubs, met their wider family regularly since you were 3/4/5 years old.

I see what you mean though Bags.

We've got to be more evolved than neandertals!!!

I think the fear of, and prejudice against, some other races/religions in the world can be understood. We see dreadful deeds being carried out in the countries of origin, and we are inclined to tar all with the same brush. Yes, it is perhaps ignorance, but it is also understandable. It must be fought against and that can be very hard.

bags Harari. ( Sapiens 2011) argues that there were numerous homos, and none survived except us because we were the most aggressive.

Another dictionary definition of xenophobia is 'Fear, hatred, or mistrust of that which is foreign, especially strangers or people from different countries or cultures.'

Perhaps it's more natural to fear the unfamiliar rather than necessarily dislike it.

I agree, rinouchka, and I think education is the only lasting way forward.

Thank you for this thatbags .

But whilst we can understand the point about it being "natural"( perhaps) for some to dislike those they do not know, we do not have to accept it as the "natural" state for all humans. I still feel "ignorance" is an apt descriptor of not liking what you do not know.

or more aggressive

PS We are not more evolved than Neanderthal people. We just survived where they didn't. The reasons are not fully understood.

It's wrong to speak of Neanderthal people as if they were somehow inferior to us.

Finding understanding for certain behaviours isn't the same as finding justification.

As an example, looking at the murderousness of other primates (we are by no means the most murderous primates) helps us understand why some human beings have murderous tendencies — we evolved along the same lines until, in evolutionary terms, very recently, and clan recognition and protection, which includes fighting off and even killing non-members of one's clan, was both needed and useful for survival — in no way justifies murder committed by humans now.

Current fear, dislike or antagonism towards people from other countries can be explained, but not justified, by our evolutionary history.

You have to understand something before you can deal with it.

But I suppose ignorance is the "natural" state of humankind. Finding justification for this reduces us back to Neanderthals......

I understand your query( I think) about whether or not it could be "natural" to not like what is unfamiliar or different to you( or 'us')

However, I cannot see how it is justified to label "natural" a dislike of others based on the fact that they come from somewhere else or are different( whether the difference is origin, religion, race, inclination , neighbourhood, football club, etc.)

Shouldn't we call this "ignorance"?