Xenophobia is an extreme, intense fear and dislike of customs, cultures, and people considered strange, unusual, or unknown. Yet in Greek, xenos carries some ambiguity. It can also mean guest or wanderer. In fact, ancient Greeks maintained a tradition of xenia, or extreme hospitality to strangers, in case an unexpected guest should happen to be a god or goddess, walking among everyday people in disguise.
Phobias fall under the umbrella of anxiety disorders. For example, if you have a fear of clowns — coulrophobiato be precise — you might begin to experience nausea or dizziness, sweating, shaking, or shortness of breath when you:.
You can be xenophobic without realizing it. These thoughts might not center on any specific person, but they still reflect a fear and dislike of things and people you consider strange or different. Many racist groups actually benefit from the ideas or contributions of people from other cultures, rather than rejecting them entirely.
Xenophobia does often involve racism or cultural discrimination, but anyone can express xenophobic ideas. In doing so, they reinforce their sense of themselves as an insider. Current events feature plenty of examples of present-day xenophobia in the hate crimes and violent verbal and physical abuse hurled at Asian Americans as the COVID pandemic continues.
During your last weeks Blandat innehåll middle school, your homeroom teacher provides a packet of information on registration for high school classes. Maybe Korean or Chinese. Anyway, they all speak English over there anyway.
You and your two roommates used to go out for dinner together every Friday night. You take turns choosing the restaurant, and when your turn rolls around, you suggest your favorite Taiwanese restaurant. Why not tonight? Just to be safe.
I mean, you never know, someone who just came from China could be working there, spreading the virus. As you eat, two women wearing hijabs walk down the street, talking to each other and laughing. They should all have to speak English, at the very least.
Xenophobia is a learned response. If you grow up absorbing xenophobic ideas from parents, peers, and other people you spend a lot of time with, you may be more likely to subscribe to these beliefs yourself. Xenophobic attitudes can also develop following trauma or a crisis, including burglary, acts of terror or violence, or a global pandemic.
Political propaganda frequently promotes xenophobia. Some politicians weaponize xenophobia, manipulating emotional tensions within a community to further their own agenda.