Our self-destructive Trait

It struck me the other day about how we as humans aren’t very nice. An alien species looking at the way we treat each other would wonder how we got where we are (or perhaps they would be worse, and if that is the case, we definitely do not want to meet them). We judge people, or dislike them, or even hate then for reasons they have no control over. In school, kids are bullied for being different. If you have a disability, either physical or mental, the best you can hope for is that you will be ignored. At worst you will be made fun of or bullied. Why is this? It’s not you fault if you have a disability. You did nothing wrong to earn this scorn.

Or, if your skin color is different, you are a woman, you belong to another religion, you have a facial deformity, or you are gay, you can expect to be shunned, verbally abused or even physically attacked. What did you do to earn this? Nothing. Yes, a person can change their religion but that can be a tough pill to swallow culturally. And even if they do change religions, they will still be identified as “other”. A person doesn’t choose their sex, skin color, nationality, their body shape, or the way their face is arranged, so why are they abused for it? This hatred of otherness is taught by the parents and the cultural group that people associate with. There is no logical reason for it. It is in fact, detrimental to the existence of the human species. We don’t grow stronger by hating this group or that. We do in fact, grow weaker. It is the main self-destructive trait of humanity.

Even if you are not attacked, you will find doors closed to you, chances for opportunity diminished, not based on merit, but instead based on something that is entirely not your fault. How many Einsteins have been kicked to the gutter? How many great discoveries have been lost because we were too stupid to let the potential discoverers shine? There was a time when left-handedness was considered a sign of the devil. Modern prejudices are no more logical than prejudice against left-handed people.

The world we live in is facing big challenges ahead. If we continue to divide ourselves over stupid things, we aren’t going to make it.

It’s time to grow up.

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