How do you react to this quote from Alan Watts?

Question

"In any foreseeable future there are going to be thousands and thousands of people who detest and abominate Negroes, communists, Russians, Chinese, Jews, Catholics, beatniks, homosexuals, and 'dope-fiends.' The hatreds are not going to be healed, but only inflamed, by insulting those who feel them, and the abusive labels with which we plaster them--squares, fascists, rightists, know-nothings--may well become the proud badges and symbols around which they will rally and consolidate themelves."

Don't get hooked on which examples he uses: this was 1966.

Answer 1

Taking anything with a gain of salt is a failing in the process of understanding!

I can already see many of the badge wearers walking about, this is not a new thing, however it is sad that it is not an old thing.

Today there are far fewer excuses for ignorance!
It is a question of choice.

Hiding from the real task at hand, which is Socially evolving, by identifying with others to feel secure in the face of ones fears instead of truly facing them only makes them greater.

Look under the bed or in the wardrobe and see that there is in fact no boggie Man!

Hate is a weakness and those who have it should feel shame not fear!

By understanding each other we close the gap which is the great divide.

This quote says a lot about the failings of humanity and Should NOT be IGNORED!

We all want a better world, maybe it's about time we stopped auguring about it and got on with the job!

These basic human failings!
The need to classify, and identify with. Must be vanquished.
Once we learn to truly understand, we will feel secure enough to stand alone.
And work together.

Answer 2

It's absolutely true. I live in South Florida and a local online newspaper gives readers the option to comment on stories posted to the site and you should see the mean, vicious, hate-filled statements that are posted whenever the story deals with someone black, poor, from another country, etc. So many average, middle-income, White Americans feel that "their country" is being taken from them and they have no recourse so all they can do is point fingers and call names. BUT, and this is a big one, there are getting to be more and more of them and soon they will come together and decide that they don't want "their country" to be this way anymore and we will see a reversion of sorts. More conservative views, voting and laws will come and they will bring about a change. What's scary is that it may well be an improvement.

Answer 3

There are and have always been thousands and thousands who detest and abominate all those who are not a part of their own group but there is a force much bigger that is slowly changing the tolerance level of the human race. It is a slow process and it does slide backwards from time to time. I do believe that as a species we are growing up and if we don't blow ourselves up in the process someday we will indeed be grown ups!...:)

Answer 4

The last 40 years has more orless proved him wrong.

Many of the hatreds he lists were mainstream in culture at the timehe wrote - not minority. Social stigmatisation of those holding such views has been one of the most powerful ways of changing the world. The reason, for example, that Christians hold onto the "biblical" truth of admonitions against homosexuality is entirely to hide their bigotry from the social stigma that otherwise attaches to homophobia.

I am not advocating insults, but we need to give such people nowhere to hide and no way to whitewash their views. Especially not a religious one.

Answer 5

it frightens me because its everwhere. Negroes, communists, Russians, Chinese, Jews, Catholics, beatniks, homosexuals, and 'dope-fiends' as well as squares, fascists, rightists, know-nothings, and most notably neo-cons are not the problem. the problem is that people want to lable things outside of themselves into neat little packages so that they can dismiss them with a single word. hatred stems from ignorance which stems from fear which stems from unwillingness. where there is a will, there is a way, and i know there must be a will to peace. will to peace leads to destruction of fear, which leads to dispelling of ignorance which negates the need for hate. open your mind. let go of your preconceptions. stop being afraid and stop grouping that which is "outside" of yourself into neat little titled groups so that you can dismiss them with a single word. start seeing one person, one society, one culture, one humanity and one Earth! for all the divisions we can make up, there is ultimately only ONE from which all is divided.

Answer 6

The world is far more tolerant or embracing of those groups that were targeted unfairly back in the 1960's. Now the focus of abuse is extended to Muslims it seems.

Answer 7

Very true today too.

When the ACLU called that insane Fred Phelps a bigot, he took it as a badge of honor. To be called a bigot by a bunch of *#^X!!@ liberals was a compliment to him.

As long as we're stuck in the "us against them" mindset, we will never have peace and God's Kingdom will never come. It's always nothing more than "us against us."

Answer 8

No reaction. Its truth, It is strange to me that the farther ahead we are in terms of being cosmopolitan about bias. And the more we learn, which should in truth, foster tolerance of others.The deeper and more intense seem those pockets of ignorance that no light can penetrate. I prefer to believe that like the ant. progress is slow, but it is continual.

Answer 9

That man had the clairvoyance to see the Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush era. A very wise and perceptive person, indeed.

BB,
Raji the Green Witch

Answer 10

Yeah, sounds like he predicted the radio revolution of Hannity and Limbaugh pretty well.