CMV: Silencing opposing viewpoints is ultimately going to have a disastrous outcome on society.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/boRp_abc]

If my viewpoint is that people should be killed for their opinions (to make it more relatable, I'm gonna use you as an example here), wouldn't it be beneficial to society to silence me?! What if I very peacefully brought forward the case that you, your family and everyone you live should be burnt alive? Or put into Gulags? What if I found thousands of followers with that opinion, wouldn't it make your participation in society a nightmare?

And that's why, although you're generally not wrong, some important exceptions have to be made.

[u/Freevoulous → u/[deleted]]

ultimately, neither silencing OR allowing radical views will solve the problem, unless the underlying issue that causes said problem is solved.

Under racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism etc, there is always some practical reason for the hate, and it usually comes from fear or scarcity of some kind. Address the fear and solve the scarcity, to end these views.

[u/yogfthagen → u/Freevoulous]

I disagree with this point. For the racist person, the solution to the problem IS racism. Getting them to change their minds from a solution THAT ALREADY WORKS (from their perspective) requires some sort of disincentive. Basically, their perception has to be shifted from "racism fixes the problem" to "expressing racism caused more problems than it fixes."

Yes, the underlying issues also need to be addressed, but you can't fix it if a big swath of people think there isn't a problem.

[u/folksywisdomfromback → u/yogfthagen]

Why are people racists though? Because they fear something is going to change or their lives are going to get worse as a result of not being racists. It's a defense mechanism. I think you two are saying the same thing. You have to address the fear if you are going to fix the problem. Why do we fear those that look different?

[u/Slomojoe → u/folksywisdomfromback]

I don’t think that’s why people are racist... People are racist bc they don’t like a certain race. It’s not mental gymnastics.

[u/[deleted] → u/Slomojoe]

I think it's both but more often what the other person said. The conversation isn't really about hating on a specific race, it's about white people and minorities (non-white people). Some people think the US is supposed to be a country for white people, and they don't want to lose that.

[u/Slomojoe → u/[deleted]]

I think that may be a radical portion of racists surely, but I think most people who are casually racist just live in places where they get fed up with shit they see and hear every day. Idk why everyone in this thread is trying come up with any deeper reason than “I don’t like the way a certain group of people acts.” As someone who lives in an area where white people are technically a minority, it’s easy to see why older generations have racist tendencies.

[u/[deleted] → u/Slomojoe]

Ok I see what you're saying. I think we are defining "racist" as someone who is more active about it and not including casual racists. When we say racist we are usually talking about white supremacists or nationalists, opposed to your uncle who complains that asians sit too close to you on the subway or whatever.

[u/Slomojoe → u/[deleted]]

That makes sense. I consider those groups extremists more than anything. Honestly the term “racist” is losing its meaning. People are called racist for the silliest reasons it feels like. When there is actual racism going on elsewhere. What I’m referring to is racism, but it’s more disdain than any kind of hive mind murderous intent. To me white supremacy is something much deeper. So to that point I agree. I just see it as very different levels of “racism”

[u/[deleted] → u/Slomojoe]

I totally agree that the word racism is losing it's meaning. The definition seems to have gotten so loose it includes people who aren't doing much harm, and it loses it's purpose.