Learning to Be Hostile

In U.S. culture, hostility seems to be growing to epidemic proportions. We are teaching each other that hostility is acceptable and even necessary. Recently in my local newspaper, a letter to the editor by  Sana Rahman lamented that “people do not seem to have the same regard and respect for others that we used to have.” I have lived long enough to know she is right.

Taking advantage of others is rampant. Everybody from corporations to individual free loaders want to feed at the federal trough. We legitimize free and undeserved stuff from government as entitlement.  Ripping off taxpayers occurs at all levels, especially in health care programs, government contracts, tax returns, and in all manner of subsidies.

Violence is all around us in video games and movies and in murders in cities like Chicago and New Orleans. We read of horror stories where onlookers of rapes and beatings regard it as entertainment, refusing to intervene or call the police. In some cities, police are targeted for abuse and even killing.

We feel little obligation for thoughtful consideration of the beliefs and views of others. On college campuses, students and professors riot to block free speech of speakers who have different views. The mayor of Berkeley, California is quoted in the June 12 Time article on the university riots was quoted as saying "This level of political violence is something we have not seen before." Fascist intimidation of unwanted speech is being conducted by groups that strangely call themselves antifascist (and these are our best and brightest?).

The hatred of President Trump has reached sociopathic levels. Comedians who used to think their job was to be funny now think their job is to demean conservatives.  Movie stars seem to have similar objectives. To be elected, politicians increasingly rely on character assassination of opponents. Republican and Democrat legislators regard each other as enemies and even enemies of the country. Citizens are politically polarized in socially destructive ways.

Hatred is becoming epidemic, and the spread is promoted by the teaching that the ends justify the means. Hatred is okay when it is directed at people we carelessly define as evil. We teach each other to be desensitized to violence. Like a response to virulent virus, our immune response to violence has become exhausted.

Religious institutions that remind us of our obligation to love our neighbors and even our enemies are losing massive numbers of members. Sana Rahman asked us to pray for a return of the regard and respect for others that we used to have. We must help answer those prayers by a change in our own hearts.

Dr. Klemm's latest book, for parents and teachers, is "The Learning Skills Cycle. A Way to Re-think Education Reform." It is available from most all book vendors.