Othering (Repost from November 2020)
Othering, or “us and them” describes a mindset that has become so pervasive in our societies that it is no longer a small problem but a fact of life. Accepting “othering” has become a subconscious and conscious group behavior. It distinguishes one from another to lower the “others” status and assign blame, or scapegoat. Othering is fueled almost exclusively by the lack of acceptance of differences, ethnocentricity, or the perceived loss of some intrinsic norm or value caused by the “other”. It is not merely recognizing that we are not like so and so; it is a concerted effort to single out an ethnic, religious, or political group as the source of perceived negative changes in the society’s core values or economic condition.
We are Again heading into the Dark Ages
Since 2020, I have seen these attitudes exponentially growing across our societies. I have witnessed world leaders openly “othering” in an attempt to appeal to the masses and redefine what it means to be a member of their nation or society. From Trumpism to Brexit, “Covid Effect” isolationism to the growth of nationalism, and the more recent expulsion of P*lestinians and the Besiege on Gaza, it has become an acceptable narrative to isolate members of our societies, mostly minorities, as somehow too different to exist within our so-called borders.
The Information Age is rampant with propaganda and misinformation; it is disconnecting us from the real danger of othering – a society more polarized, more racist, and more ethnocentric than ever before. Humanity is falling into darkness once again. “Real” human progress is in reverse; we are desensitized to human suffering, archives of human history, and the destruction of educational institutions commonplace, violence and injustice apparent, and governments have lost touch with their constituents creating a climate of protest and discontent. It seems we are in some ways revisiting our dark age past. While technology and science are advancing at an exponential rate, humanity is in decline.
Polarization
The dangers of othering are two-fold; they lead to a disproportionate representation of the reality of circumstances and conditions in society and a misdirection of resources to solve the real problems among diverse people. For example, build a wall and our land will be secure – it’s “them” that is the problem and “us” that need protection. This creates a simplistic answer (misdirection of resources) for a complex problem that’s not just about occupation and displacement (disproportionate representation) but about the growth of a mindset that places blame and promotes internal isolation from “them” as the solution to the goals of ethnocracy. These polarizations took generations to learn and will take time to unlearn.
How do we unlearn an “Us and Them” mindset?
Recognizing our subconscious and conscious bias is the first step to targeted change. We need to be ready to recognize that an “Us and Them” mindset only sows the seeds of conflict, which will ultimately stagnate progress toward accepting our uniqueness as individuals and embracing the differences that lead to human progress. When we unite to change our mindset, we can change the world.