It’s been a lot of years since I taught Introduction to Sociology; Cultural Anthropology;
American Subcultures; Marriage and the Family; Human Sexuality, Social Problems, and other sociology courses. But, when recently re-reading Michel de Montaigne’s (1533-1592) Of Books – particularly the section about history writing and bias, it brought me back to some sociology basics that we seem to have forgotten in the United States: stereotyping, prejudice, racism, bigotry and bias.
Surely these foundational definitions of core social problems haven’t changed even though
I haven’t kept up with the field. But, it seems from my view of our culture, we have not only run
away with the ball on the matter of these basic attitudes of social in-decency; we’ve moved the
game to another playing field altogether. I would swear from the social atmosphere in the United
States these days that no one has taken Sociology 101; or today’s Professors and Instructors have
overlooked these basics.
Some exceptional individuals make a profound effort to show kindness and openness
toward others; but the herd, led by arrogant and headstrong rams, seems intent on twisting the
social narrative toward a distinct, self-hating bias. I think, by observation of this social (media,
news, and journalistic) phenomena, that most Americans are believed to be dull, unlearned, and
unaware of the difference between our toes and our tongues.
Given, our basic stupidity, everyday-pundits carefully choose and spoon-feed to us things
worth knowing, in their estimation. This information is far from “pure and entire in all its
dimensions” (Montaigne), but has been “arranged,” “abridged,” and dumbed-down so as to instruct a population of dunces; or so it seems.
Now – for the Refresher Course; the following core concepts, social problems – consequently all of which are essentially synonymous with each other, and presented in the negative, because they are things to avoid in order to enjoy social health and well-being – are typically covered in the first week of Introduction to Sociology:
1. Define STEREOTYPE
A. A set of biased generalizations about a group or category of people that is unfavorable, exaggerated, and oversimplified.
B. It is characteristic of all human thought to categorize and generalize, beyond the facts, about members of categories.
C. But, STEREOTYPING emphasizes negative characteristics, and preconceived beliefs are emotionally toned and NOT usually modifiable by empirical evidence!
D. Although INACCURATE, a stereotyped belief is maintained because it is a SHARED BELIEF (can you say Facebook?), receiving strong support from one’s reference group (family, friends, and other people who matter to you)
On September 27, 2016, at the height of election year fervor, I posted the following on my
Facebook timeline: “Remember – a bigot is ANYBODY who is intolerant of a different creed or opinion than your own (Republican, Democrat, Independent, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Jew, liberal, conservative…).
Your opinion is neither right nor wrong; neither good or bad; and neither smart nor dumb, it’s just your opinion.
Don’t polarize people – ALL of whom are made in God’s image, by being a bigot. (praying hands
meme)
INSERT Dictionary.com link for the definition of bigot
“Furthermore, don’t disparage people for disagreeing with your point of view. We can disagree without ridiculing, belittling, or character assassination. This might just be a case-study in blessing your ‘enemy’ (Matthew 5:44) – choose to disagree and go with God.”
How many “likes” do you think I got? One. Yes, one. Apparently, the emphasis on free speech –
any speech, overrides the emphasis on decency, kindness, or graciousness toward our fellow inhabitants of this planet.
Decency, like beauty, must be in the eye of the beholder. It depends entirely on the standard to
which one holds oneself and one’s reference group. It seems that hip-hop and reality television culture
are the new standard for social interaction in the United States. The words, descriptions and tone directed toward public figures with whom individuals disagree are vitriolic, mean-spirited, demeaning or dehumanizing, undignified and vengeful to say the least.
We Americans are proud of our voice. We enjoy the freedom to speak our minds and to protest
against opinions which we oppose. But must we use our voice to destroy? Stereotyping emphasizes
negativity, tearing down, and destruction.
2. Define BIAS
A. The systematic distortion of data which influences thought or outcomes and which increases the likelihood of obtaining one outcome over another.
B. A conditioned tendency to favor and support a certain point of view or conclusion despite the absence of adequate or even any evidence; a disposition to reject evidence that conflicts with a preconceived conviction.
Montaigne describes bias in history writers, as the use of
• concealment of a given word or action;
• omission of information one doesn’t understand or know how to describe;
• arrangement or abridgement of materials so as to manipulate or turn the hearer or reader toward a preferred judgment.
He says these biased writers “want to chew our morsels for us; they give themselves the right to judge, and consequently to slant history to their fancy.”
This reminds me of a scene from the movie, My Cousin Vinny, when after struggling through
unfamiliar courtroom territory, Vinny approaches his nemesis, the judge with “a well-thought out,
cogent argument” that the judge forthwith acknowledges but denies with a firm – “over-ruled.” This is what stereotyping and bias do with contrary evidence to one’s views – over-ruled.
3. Define PREJUDICE
A. Prejudice exists wherever there is hostility toward an out-group, it can be held by oppressive majorities or persecuted minorities and is in good part due to a lack of communication and not sharing a common life; and is based on stereotypes.
“Deplorables,” comes to mind, as it was used during the 2016 United States political debate. It’s the hostility of prejudice that seems to have permeated the social fabric of the United States. We are an angry bunch. Social status seems to have little to do with our rage; every segment of society seems to have joined an angry mob of like-minded protestors – again with the “like” button on Facebook.
Where is common decency? I’ve yet to find the origins of the phrase – common decency.
However, I believe it can be broken down to mean – conformity to an established or recognized standard for human dignity and respectability (including self-respect).
Are we Americans so entrenched in critically challenging a national identity we are no longer loyal to, or love? Have we so criticized every tenet of our heritage that we lack a current identity with it? With so much self-hate, can we even hope to respect or I dare say, love, others who dwell in a different intellectual, social, or cultural space than our own?
Maybe we could begin by applying a bit of transference and begin to hate stereotyping, prejudice, bias, and all the hateful isms. As to the people who have been the object of the hateful isms we might apply the biblical precept, “love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mark 12:31). The problem with this Scripture is that we don’t love ourselves. I’m sort of appalled that so many Americans hate America. How can we respect someone quite different from us when we have no self-respect?
Then there’s the one about hate stirring up conflict and contention, but “love covers all sin” (I Peter 4:8 and Proverbs 10:12). If the word sin trips you up – what with defining it and all; and to put the
plethora of self-hate and personal condemnation aside; let’s just say love covers.
Love blankets everything the eye can see, with kindness and goodness – it’s all covered. We need no longer consider what’s under the covers when love has covered it – it’s not there.
Surely, we must start with self-respect and a repeal of our identity of victim-hood. Can we humble
ourselves and surrender the rights we’ve felt so raped of? Like the three musketeers, can America be all for one and one for all – reclaiming the standard which our country was founded on?
Have you ever noticed that when you have a loved one in a group that you would otherwise
ridicule or hate, you overlook that particular object of hate? That is what the Bible means when it says
love covers sin. If you love a fat person you can’t hate fat people. If you love an illegal immigrant, you
will not hate illegal immigrants. If you love a Jew, you won’t hate Jews. If you love a black person you
can’t hate blacks. If you love a homeless person, or an addict, or a transgender human being you simply
won’t hate those groups. That’s love covering or replacing hate, because in these cases of loved ones
occupying those groups – you KNOW at least one human heart covered in a category. This makes all the difference in the world.
In the 2014 movie, Pride, a misfit and ragtag group of lesbians and gays, loosely organized but
unfocused, come up with the novel idea to reach out to a similar out-group (but seriously different from them) – needy, striking miners. They raise money to help the miners with food and living expenses during a yearlong (1984-1985) British mining strike, ending up close compatriots for life in spite of their formerly conflicting lifestyles.
This lesbian/gay and miner alliance provides a prototype for what could be sloganned a HUG
YOUR HATERS or KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS (Romans 12:20) campaign. We should similarly challenge our nation’s leaders to begin a movement in kind. Wouldn’t it be amazing if at the start of each congressional session, it was mandatory for every leader from one side to literally reach across the aisle toward their arch-enemy on the opposite side – a heart-felt hug, across the chasm of human difference, to begin the debate aright? At the very least, it might start the session with laughter instead of vitriol; a sense of humor being the best medicine for a brokenhearted nation.
Let’s pretend we hear the voice of America’s mom, saying to her leader- children: “Go over there
and hug them; and mean it. Don’t come back until you’ve become colleagues, in the best sense of the
word, you’ve worked out your differences and resolved this ridiculous, childish behavior. I want to see you only when you can speak nicely to them and about them. I mean it!” How about for the higher purpose of a nation united (haven’t we been promised this again and again) – even the ultimate leaders, Hillary Clinton and President-elect Trump, hug it out – and mean it!
Imagine if every individual searched out a person representing the out-group of human beings
they love to hate, and hugged them, not leaving until they can see the dignity residing in that human soul and embrace the humanity they have in common. Wouldn’t it be cool for the United States to be recognized around the world as the new world of kindness, respect, and love toward others?
Let’s be leaders and do everything in our considerable power to alleviate our culture of the burden of hate, stereotyping, prejudice, bias, bigotry, and all isms in our considerable and growing arsenal. Our national priority should be killing these cultural demons – with kindness and love as our weapons.
Figurative “Mom” is challenging media opinion makers to think before you speak. Be honest,
does your language incite hate? Are you embracing a stereotype, with your speech? Are you truthful,
with an overtone of kindness and generosity toward the object of your honesty? Are you building up or are you destroying your culture with your language? Do you love America with all its Americans? Or are you trapped, and keeping those you influence trapped, in self-hatred and contributing to a cultural identity crisis?
You make the call. Is it quid pro quo – as usual, keeping the divisive cycle of hate going? Or, can
you do the better thing, the harder thing (no different than fake it ‘til you make it, or forcing a smile through tears, to battle sadness), and HUG A HATER, and mean it.
It starts with humility. It takes tremendous strength of character to humble yourself before an enemy; to let your defenses down to shatter the barriers. Are America and her American’s strong and of good character or are we all smoke and mirrors; a facade or image of what we once were?