People have been able to demonize their enemy in my opinion since society was first realized at least since the first wars came about. There is something in us that breaks if we hurt others like ourselves. To demonize your enemy is really a rationalization to preserve your soul or goodness (whatever you would like to call it).
I have noticed a tendency in people to demonize easier and more often the longer my life goes on. I see the different political parties retreat further into their corners, dead set that they cannot compromise one ounce of their policies. I have seen neighborhoods divide and become exceptionally violent because of pride, greed, or a variety of other things. Both of these groups have demonized their enemy. I get it, to an extent, but in demonizing all compromise or a peaceful solution retreat further away.
I see many of the underlying traits in society around me taken way over the line towards demonization. From people speaking on the internet to one another, Racial prejudice, sexual prejudice, or any group of people anywhere doing something you don’t like. Think about how you feel when you curse about the group you don’t like. Does it feel like you could be reasoned with? By reducing the group to less than human it almost makes it ok to feel the amount of hatred that can come out of yourself.
I think that by understanding the basic psychology behind this cycle could help you avoid it. I get that some people may have had whatever group is evil/stupid/arrogant/(any adjective you want) drilled into their heads from childhood. I want to point out every person on this planet is capable of good or evil. I also believe that demonizing someone tends to push them further towards evil. At the very minimum it divides us into more fragmented groups that make the world a harsher place to live.
Changing your perspective can be one of the most powerful tools a human can have. I would suggest when you feel the beginnings of anger towards a group begin to bubble up. Try to look at the situation from a number of different perspectives. There could be numerous things attributing to that persons/groups behavior at the current point in time. Perhaps the closest person in their life died recently and they are not able to function clearly. In order to preserve our society, we must have some tolerance of one another when we are in public.
The stress that can be caused by this cycle could harm you as well as your enemy. There have been studies on how stress can affect the cellular structure of people. A cell will reduce in size under stress, like crouching down because the situation could be dangers. The increase in hormone production or the reduction of blood flow in a tensed state can lead to health issues. Most people don’t even realize their muscles can clench when they are stressed. A prolonged environment of stress can easily cause disease as much as a bad diet or no exercise can. I didn’t want to deviate too far from the topic, just wanted an extra incentive to be thoughtful about how you interact with the world around you.
