I am tackling the problem of hate and conflict between different communities. At the heart of this conflict is intolerance and ‘othering’. This is caused by a lack of empathy, a lack of understanding, and a lack of access to difference.
Because of these things, our communities are not resilient to divisive interventions, like terrorism, extremism or negative media.
According to Allport’s scale of prejudice, the consequences of leaving negative messaging and isolation unchallenged is discrimination, then physical attack, then extermination. It is a pattern repeated through history. Doing nothing to break this cycle is not an option.
‘Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim’.
Where does this hate come from? As the adage goes – ‘We hate some people because we don’t know them. Because we don’t know some people, we hate them.’ So the solution is simple – getting to know each other
