Why oh why is there so much hate

I honestly don't know whether there's more hate than there used to be.

A few days ago, I came across a stash of old family history magazines and was reading through them. There was a story about an "imbecile" in the nineteenth century, who died because he'd been teased by two local people. They called him names, made him jump over ropes and branches and hit him. Somehow he ended up in a river and was left to drown, before being rescued by some other people. He died two days later. The coroner said that he died from his injuries and exposure to the elements.

I wonder if there were other incidents like that, which were never reported. The crime would these days be classified as a hate crime because the victim was disabled, but there was no mention of "hate" in the newspaper article.

There were racist attacks in many parts of the UK after the end of WW1. This letter, written by Cardiff City Police in 1919, could almost have been written today.

Wyllow3

Hetty58 said above "Basically, we're still hunter gatherers, cruel, violent savages, just underneath the surface, after all."

That is indeed the traditional Darwinist theory, the "fight flight" response: however, more recently, anthropologists and psychologists have identified in both animals and humans the "tend-befriend" response. Ie, it is observed that animals and people form bonds where we look after each other.

Probably people are between the two, based on circumstance: as Urms says above, people can also be compassionate and kind. In the end, its up to us to try and bring out the "tend-befriend" in social policy and daily life. And when we get the chance, intervene: if the media appear to try and bring the worse out, we complain. We try to object to government actions that divide, not bring together.

For me, this is why its important not to "otherness" different groups. Hatred is based in fear often fear of what we do not know or understand.

However, I was also reading in an article about the psychology of relationships that people tend to form closer bonds when they have a common enemy rather than common friends.

I'm not sure that's true, but thinking about some conversations, people do tend to go on for longer when they're criticising (bitching about) somebody rather than when they're admiring somebody.

"The media" constantly shows violent deaths taking placed instantly with little sign of pain, or consequences for the perpetrator. No wonder it all seems so easy for those exposed to such material.

www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/hate-crime

But are we doing enough?

If the link above is what defines a crime, are we doing enough to actually prosecute these people?

Are we doing enough to hold platforms that allow hate speech accountable?

Shouldn't it be like speed cameras? A verified screenshot of hate speech should come with a fine.

If it is against the law, why aren't we doing more? Is it that widespread prejudice people are literally covered by a sheild of sheer numbers?

Who will be deciding what is hate speech. That's what you need to worry about. Elon Musk is running twitter, he therefore controls speech to a certain extent. Handing control of speech to individuals or even governments is a terrible idea, and it is always minorities that suffer when it happens.

My great grandfather was on the stage ,we grew up hearing stories of No Blacks No Irish No dogs in England .He was Irish lived in Scotland and apparently it wasn't the same here .
Maybe hatred of others is inbred.

Maybe that was what was behind Brexit?

Well the law should be covering what is and isn't hate speech shouldn't it?

We certainly can't be leaving it in the hands of individuals because they will only apply theor definition of what should be punishable as hate speech to the groups they like

I think for many youngsters, maybe in inner city areas, life really is a 'jungle' and it's survival of the fittest. They perpetrate violent acts to prove their position in the hierarchy, sometimes even as initiation rites into gangs. They carry knives to look big but also because they think it gives them protection. Add to this the prevalence of drugs and they don't stand much of a chance.

Social media is the biggest contributary factor - at teenage level is poisonous and they all share videos to show how horrible they are - they name and shame and rise up the ranks the nastier they are
Stabbing is the most extreme - but there is verbal bullying and abuse and imaging that is shocking .
And a lot of adults are not a lot better - give them a keyboard to hide behind and they are very toxic .

Too much access to violence in computer games, tv and films. It’s actually very difficult to find chldren’s content without some form of violence. Characters beating each other up. In american content the plot is always the same, only the characters are different. A bit like war being glorified without showing bodies mutilated, the hero wins through so it’s ok. Formative minds are inured to the consequences of violence.
There are some lovely Japanese films on netflix - lovely cartoons and get the message across gently.

I think it's been proven that real violence inspires screen violence, not the other way around

I certainly kill thousands of pretend enemies during the course of a games night and have never even hit someone in real life

Yet before screen violence, people though it acceptable to hit children and send them into dangerous working environments when now they would just be starting school

Social media empowers people who would have kept their views to themselves when speaking face to face.

This morning, when browsing Nextdoor, I saw a post criticising our local councillor and his support for our local MP. It was truly horrible, personal and untrue. It contained a link to a Twitter feed of like minded individuals' views and they were even worse.

That councillor was my son, and a nicer, kinder, more hardworking and conscientious young man you couldn't hope to meet. Yes, I'm biased as I'm his mother but I know of the things he and his MP have done for the area and for individuals needing help and they both go the extra mile and use their authority and influence for good.

I think that if online trollers were forced to listen to their comments being read out with their friends and relatives present they'd be truly ashamed.

"Opportunity creates the crime"... I don't think that there's necessarily "more hate" out there, I think it has more to do with the fact that it's much easier now to anonymously choose victims on whom to vent bile via the internet. Inadequate, sociopathic losers have always been with us, but the internet gives that minority group an opportunity to hide their identities and to take on the sad role of Troll. Too easy, and very little we can do about it other than to just ignore them.

So many parents these days have to leave child rearing to others as they have to go out to work. Children often receive conflicting views from their carers, whoever they are, and with all the pressure they get from social media and tv reality programs to conform to so called social norms it's no wonder that they grow up with only thoughts for their own survival. I feel so sorry for children today, so few have normal family lives learning respect and civilised behaviour.

paddyann54

My great grandfather was on the stage ,we grew up hearing stories of No Blacks No Irish No dogs in England .He was Irish lived in Scotland and apparently it wasn't the same here .
Maybe hatred of others is inbred.

Maybe that was what was behind Brexit?

Before you get all rosy about race prejudice or the lack of it in cotland, as a Scot, I can certainly tell you stories of sectarian crimes and prejudice, of sheer hatred of 'others' which often led to violence, so lets not pretend that only Scotland (or the SNP) hold the answer.

Sadly I believe that we, as humans, have always been capable of great violence, cruelty and discrimination, look at Peaky Blinders and The Kray Twins , Mary Belle, the Jamie Bulger murderers, The moors murderers, Fred & Rosie West - it’s not new it’s just far more publicised.

We had our children late so our youngest is still 20, he and his peers are all decent people and I just think as with everything, it’s the minority who ruin things for the majority. At 64 I still have an intrinsic belief that most people, of every race, colour, religion and sexuality are good people 🥰🥰

Have things got worse?
Plato was in despair about Athenian youth!
If there is more cruelty and careless disregard, dare I say it may have something to do with the fact we are, for the most part, a secular culture? If you believe in life after death and any kind of moral universe, it is bound to influence your outlook and actions. I am a Wiccan, and I believe that all you do comes back to you. The only 'doctrine' of my faith is 'Harm none'. But I would rather see a return in the popularity of Christianity than a bleak belief in nothing, apart from this limited material universe. I wonder if that's what makes lives empty and meaningless for many people and leaves the young without a compass?

But the more secular societies tend with a couple of notable exceptions to be less violent than religious societies.

When was the last time you heard of a youth club? A bobby on the beat?. I think things like this maybe to blame. You cannot chastise someone else's child anymore, and the courts are nearly powerless when it comes to children. What happened to Borstal?-

However, I was also reading in an article about the psychology of relationships that people tend to form closer bonds when they have a common enemy rather than common friends

Oh I don’t know - it rings true growstuff - just think of groups on here hating Boris! (or Brexit!). 🤣

Social media has a lot to answer for enabling people to be vicious and aggressive under the cloak of anonymity. Many of these children have been exposed to violent games and song lyrics and are to some degree, desensitised.

HousePlantQueen

paddyann54

My great grandfather was on the stage ,we grew up hearing stories of No Blacks No Irish No dogs in England .He was Irish lived in Scotland and apparently it wasn't the same here .
Maybe hatred of others is inbred.

Maybe that was what was behind Brexit?

Before you get all rosy about race prejudice or the lack of it in cotland, as a Scot, I can certainly tell you stories of sectarian crimes and prejudice, of sheer hatred of 'others' which often led to violence, so lets not pretend that only Scotland (or the SNP) hold the answer.

Thank you HPQ for your alternative viewpoint. There’s too much ‘Scotland is wonderful and England is bad’ on the GN forums in my opinion.

I sometimes wonder if video games aren't part of it. My DG was watching one, it was a shoot out, people getting shot then just getting up again and running off, no injuries.

Galaxy, you have a good point. Religion is behind much conflict - hmmm

Urmstongran

^However, I was also reading in an article about the psychology of relationships that people tend to form closer bonds when they have a common enemy rather than common friends^

Oh I don’t know - it rings true growstuff - just think of groups on here hating Boris! (or Brexit!). 🤣

I didn't want to mention that! But I agree with you (for once ).