Why is ‘bigotry’ bad? Why don’t people like bigots? Why do people celebrate diversity and tolerance? Is bigotry bad because the bigot is too arrogant of himself/herself? Is the bigot bad because he/she is full of envy of what he/she perceives as ‘socially inferior’? Is the bigot bad because he/she possesses all the ancient ‘bad’ traits – wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony? Are bigots innately good on the inside? Can bigots be helped? Do bigots experience compassion and love once, for a complete stranger, in his/her life time (i.e. helping out like a good Samaritan)? Or are bigots just plain evil on the inside and need to be thrown in prison for their anti-social behaviors? How can you tell the difference between a bigot and a person who thinks he/she is better than you no matter what? What do you do if you spot a bigot or suspect a bigot? How many bigots do you know? Have you counted?
Because it’s hostility and ignorance in combination.
If you have to ask you’ve never been on the receiving end of it.
It divides society into separate classes, increasing social friction, which can become expressed in the form of violence.
I won’t go quite as far as saying, “It leads to violence,” but that’s one of the risks involved in it.
Also, mere social bigotry can become systematic, leading to unequal treatment before the law, thus violating one of the key principles of good constitutional government.
Plus, like, dude, it sucks.
I see. Humans are social animals. Since bigotry is unproductive in human societies, it is greatly frowned upon. Tolerance, on the other hand, helps people work together or cooperate, despite subtle differences. So, the best thing people can do is embrace diversity and care for others, including strangers. I think there is an idiom in the English language called “the good Samaritan”. It means to care for someone you don’t know, but I think it can be extended to anyone who are different from you. 
But why do you think some humans are bigoted? Are they just born that way? Are some humans more prone to being a bigot than others? Do bigots suffer some anger-management problems? Do bigots feel any compassion for their victims?
Because hand in hand with being social is the idea of our group vs their group loyalty. It’s a extension of family loyalty to include the group you identify with. In modern society it is destructive rather than protective.
Bigotry on an institutional scale keeps some people permanently disadvantaged and limits their opportunities. It is in a society’s interest to draw from as wide a talent pool as possible so that we have the best and brightest candidates. So an absence of bigotry promotes prosperity.
Equal opportunity also means that there are not groups who are marginalized by society. In order for a society to function well, all members have to feel that they have a vested interest in it suceeding. If you have groups who do not feel that they have a stake in society, it leads to problems for everyone.
Bigotry, if allowed to retun to the levels that existed into the 20th century in the US, would have a negative impact on the quality of life for all of us. That is partly the reason that we identify bigots and create negative social consequences for their behavior. It is similar to the cultural shift that happened around smokers, we finally made it socially unpleasant enough for smokers that many people quit smoking and others never started. Culturally, we have decided that bigotry is no longer acceptable.
This ^^
Because anyone who adopts an “us” vs. “them” mindset thinks “they” aren’t real people like “we” are. Thus, “they” aren’t deserving of the same things “we” have. Bigotry has led directly to oppression and human misery *so many times *in human history that only ignorant fools continue to espouse bigoted ideals.
Because bigotry, just like regular selfishness, procures short term advantages. If you count THEM as nonhuman, you can avoid giving them their share of society’s wealth. You can keep everything for US.
The long term disadvantage is that those who you’ve discriminated against are eventually going to fight for their fair share. A bigotted society is unsustainable because the have-not’s will eventually attack the have’s. The more you can make people feel like everyone is equal, the less malcontent, and the easier it is to hold on.
There are also some reasons for specific types of bigotry that goes on this. The biggest example is homophobia, which also seems to be a natural outpouring of the lack of attraction to the opposite sex. You aren’t attracted to men, so seeing two men together just feels the slightest bit awkward. it’s naturally not much, and fairly easily overcome, but even the slightest feeling can justify the US vs. THEM thinking.
At least, that’s my theory. I know that my former homophobia was consciously about the fact that I didn’t like the idea of a guy possibly crushing on me. I wasn’t aware there was an underlying equality issue until later.
Bigotry is pretty bad. However, some are wrongly labeled bigots just because they have certain views. People jump to racism or sexism these days just to get attention. Not saying it isn’t still out there, but certainly not as much as the media would like you to think.
True bigotry is bad for most of the reasons mentioned above.
“Exposing” it (or anything remotely close to it) is a great tactic in debates on politics or social policy.
… and it should be noted that bigots don’t have a monopoly on dividing society.
You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
Hard to tell from what you’ve said so far – are you exploring this question in a purely theoretical way, or do you seriously not understand what’s bad about bigotry?
With all due respect to Rodgers and Hammerstein, I don’t think that is necessarily true. Fear of the Other, fear of strangers, are common although not universal human characteristics.
It’s not inevitable, but NQOCD is pretty darn common.
Regards,
Shodan
I’m exploring this question in a purely theoretical way.
What will happen if bigotry is unstopped and uncontrolled?
I just want to pause and note that, right now, the two threads below this one are as follows:
“Why do people get offended when pack a pistol in their neighborhood?” and “Zimmerman wants to meet with Trayvon Martin’s parents.”
Somehow, this seems apt.
I agree with you, but I wish you’d said “It ain’t necessarily so” (even though that’s not Rodgers and Hammerstein).
I’m not sure what the OP is after here. The main question has been answered already but most of the sub-questions are totally unanswerable or just odd.
It comes down to ignorance for me. If you’re willing to accept that a group of people are inferior to you based upon the language they speak, the colour of their skin, or their socioeconomic status then what else are you willing to accept? Perhaps people who don’t have blue eyes and blond hair?
There’s no logic in it and there’s no humanity in living your life like that. That’s why bigotry is bad.
Maybe you should just wash this thread right out of your hair.
Regards,
Shodan