What causes people to commit genocide?

Question

I'm taking a class called genocide. In this class, we look at all of the genocides that have taken place in history. I was just wondering what other people's opinions were on this subject. What do you think causes or drives a person to twist society's view of a certain race or ethnic group? And to make it socially acceptable in that society? How do you think a person can begin to think these things and act upon them?

Just looking for opinions. I know it's not the cheeriest of subjects, but it's one of those things that needs to be discussed.

Also what do you think could be done to prevent genocide, and that way of thinking?

Answer 1

I agree with another poster, if you demonize and dehumanize a group of people, so they are not valued as much as the rest of society, they are an easy group to separate from the rest of society to scapegoat, blame, mistreat, abuse, and kill. In the US, it would be difficult to call the systematic destruction of the American Indian tribes food sources, language, values, and religion, as anything but genocide. The American Indians were fighting for their way of life, and were slaughtered by the majority. It's interesting how that was not discussed in any of my history books. Neither was the incarceration of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps in the US during WWII, with only a minority of German or Italian Americans arrested and interned in camps. Hate mixed with national pride, and especially with religion are very dangerous and explosive combinations.

Edit:
Any society is capable of genocide. Airing your society's dirty laundry is a good start, so hopefully you won't repeat your nation's prior atrocities. Even though people mock it as pc, diversity training really is needed in school, work, and in our communities, so we find the commonalities among different groups of people, instead of relying on negative stereotypes and hateful myths. I think that is why diversity training is called "pc"; some people like to cling to their sexist, racist and homophobic stereotypes.

Answer 2

Causes Of Genocide

Answer 3

ignorance, upbringing, environment and hatred all probably have roles. environment being the close or home/ parental/ family environment and then possibly cultural environment depending on where a person is raised and with what beliefs/ religion. probably taught to be less than tolerant and then reinforced with everyday interactions with like minded people. to take it as far as genocide the person would have to have some power, something to back them up so they could carry it out. hatred would be a likely motivator but again would most likely stem from somewhere earlier. to take it to the literal level of genocide there may be some imbalances going on mentally, but not necessarily. hatred is a strong motivator for lots of sane people. probably mostly learned though, same person taken to a different life may grow up with completely different views and not commit genocide. interesting topic, i'll star it.

Answer 4

The easiest way to put it is.. to not view the other race as human beings. They can be viewed as Pests, Monsters, Inferior beings, but not human. Eg. Hitler thought himself and the aryans as superior to all other races and hence felt it was their right to commit such atrocities. He convinced the rest of Germany that Jews were Evil, Lazy, etcetc which made it easier to pave the way for the Holocaust. Just like people squish bugs and kill animals every day without blinking, genocide ends up being the same. Another proof of this: The arguments against/for abortion mainly rests on.. is a fetus considered human?

How it starts could come from how they were brought up, bad experiances they had, or simply just wanting someone to blame for their misfortunes (which is fairly typical of people).

To prevent genocide hence requires that people must begin to understand each other and start seeing each other as HUMANS. They must realise that underneath the skin, we're all the same. Education in schools is the best way to start.

Answer 5

well I gues they have a mental disorder I mean a normal person doesn´t think like that, or also maybe the way or in the conditions that thay were raised and treated as childs. I was also looking at a discovey chanel program that murderers ans phsycopaths have a different brain, like its different shape or size or different chemicals?, I´m not sure which one

Answer 6

It's all about greed and power.

Answer 7

It cannot be said , no better than "Tap",& I agree wholeheartedly. Ditto for sure!