Why are some people seem to be threatened by the unusual and/or different whethe

1. 83

   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   Why are some people seem to be threatened by the unusual and/or different whether it is
   
   ideologies, philosophies, religious beliefs, people, and/or lifestyles?
   
   

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   CalebSparksposted 10 years ago

   This is clearly a baited question, just begging for an exchange of insults and injury. It sure sounds like you are annoyed by something lol.....

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3. 85

   Express10posted 10 years ago

   Most humans have their own biases and prejudices which they can allow to sometimes get out of control, some much more so than others. It may be a learned behavior for some, for others it may be a way to fit into a crowd or group they desperately wish to belong to, and for a fairly large number of people, they are not open to or interested in understanding these things or people. Some become quite insulted, insulting, and even violent when they cross paths with something or someone different than what they know. These are not excuses but simply some possible reasons why some people seem threatened by the unusual or different, whatever it may be.

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      SkySlaveposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Differences threaten most people. I think its dude to a strong lack of understanding and  a fear of change.  Unfortunately, it seems to me, that so many people are afraid of stepping out of  their comfort zone and experiencing something different.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Second best answer!

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      Express10posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks GMWilliams, it does seem like many of us have some bias or prejudices and most civilized interactions can't take place if we don't keep them in check and have a somewhat considerate, tolerant, or respectful mind. Fear is also a factor.

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   Ghost32posted 10 years ago

   Some people are threatened by the "different" because "different" can in many cases mean "deadly".
   
   If we only look at (for example) one society--such as 21st century United States citizenry--the concept may not seem all that clear.  But if we take the long view, look back over the millennia of Man's sojourn on this planet, it's as clear as the nose on my wife's face before her nose job.
   Let's say you were an Arab during the time of the Crusades and saw the "different" armor of a Christian war column advancing on your village...or you were a Lakota warrior who saw the "different" bluecoats of George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry charging your encampment on the Little Big Horn...or you were an African man seeing the "different" slave ships of the white man come to take you away forever through the Door of No Return...then, and in a million similar situations, you would learn (if you did not know already) that DIFFERENT was only another word for LOOK OUT!!!!
   In other words, the very survival of homo sapiens as a species has long depended on being very, very wary when something different showed up.  Different was deadly dangerous until proven otherwise.
   Personally, I still feel that way about aliens from other planets.  If an emissary from beyond the solar system drops by offering gifts, but he/she/it happens to resemble a 27-legged spider with a T-rex head and a rattlesnake tail, I'm going to consider it deadly until proven otherwise.
   Do some of us take that fear too far, to the point that the fear owns us instead of serving us by enhancing our chances for survival?  Of course we do.  It's human nature.

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   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   Conformity is normalcy for most people.
   As much as people like to proclaim they want something "different" or "new" the reality is human beings are creatures of habit.  We want to get what we (expect). Every older generation person longs for their era's traditions. Change is another word for risk or uncertainty. We don't embrace stepping out of our comfort zones.
   Last but not least people with children tend to want them to have the same life or lifestyle experiences they had as well as make similar choices with their lives.  A straight couple usually has a difficult time accepting their child is gay. A same race couple may have a difficult time accepting their child prefers to date outside of their race. A democrat household may be taken aback that their child is registered republican or vice versa. People want to (control) their environment.

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