Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
How can we counter Us vs. Them/divisive rhetoric in order to foster more …
How can we counter Us vs. Them/divisive rhetoric in order to foster more
inclusivity in society?
Summary #1
video: "Rethinking Rhetoric
“Rhetoric seems sometimes more important than the truth in particular situations”
This is another quote that relates back to othering because people follow leaders, and even if the leader is not telling or promoting the truth, people will listen if they know how to use the tools of rhetoric to manipulate people into thinking that othering is OK or a good thing, when it is really not.
“A society is built on the ideas pitched to that society by those skilled in the art of rhetoric”
This quote relates the source to my chosen prompt, because othering is very much an issue in politics, and the persuasiveness and use of rhetoric by a political leader can really affect how people look at other groups if they look up to the leader and trust what they say.
“don’t pay attention to me, pay attention to the message I am spreading”
“It is the way the content is put together and delivered to an audience that really affects how people see what you are saying.”
Summary #2
, video: "Rediscovering Rhetoric"
“It’s through character, truth, and empathy that rhetoric persuades”
Othering often looks past these values, because character and empathy are what make people unique and special, and it makes it seem like these things don't matter just because somebody might look different or speak a different language than you.
“Rhetoric is persuasion from a heart of love, manipulation isn’t rhetoric. The manipulator uses the tools of rhetoric to get what he wants.”
I see this as a big issue in politics today, that most politicians are manipulators and it doesn't seem that many of them really use these tools of rhetoric for good cause.
“If we don’t use rhetoric with good intent, it is dismembering the idea of rhetoric as a whole”
“Rhetoric comes from empathy, and empathy comes from love. If you use rhetoric to manipulate you have bad intent”
Summary #3
article: The Problem of Othering: Towards Inclusiveness and Belonging
“It is not just religion or ethnicity alone that explains each conflict but often the overlay of multiple identities with specific cultural, geographic, and political histories and grievances that may be rekindled under certain conditions.”
“‘Othering’ is a term that not only encompasses the many expressions of prejudice on the basis of group identities, but we argue that it provides a clarifying frame that reveals a set of common processes and conditions that propagate group-based inequality and Marginality”
“Othering and exclusion can happen on a group basis or on an individual level”
This quote made me think about the idea of othering, and the differences between group and individual exclusion. For example, Mexican immigrants might be a group that is commonly othered, but somebody might also be discriminated just for being Mexican even if they are not a part of the group of immigrants. Just for speaking a different language or having a different skin color, somebody can be painted as a criminal just because a politician stereotyped the group as a whole.
“We live in a time of big social change, and it is up to us to march towards a more inclusive society and put aside our differences”
I believe this is true that it is up to us, but lots of exclusivity is out of out control too. There are always going to be people that believe differences make people less than others, but we can definitely somewhat control who we elect especially in the United States and lots can be voted on, so I think in general people just need to be better educated about the topic.
Summary #4
video: TUA # 169 - The LA Riots & Our Us v Them World
“What ‘they’ are trying to do is make everything sort of blend in, conform, and look past differences”
“They identified who ‘they’ were and who ‘us’ was and made a very clear pattern of behaviors”
“Every part of a country will closely resemble the origin of the immigrants that moved there”
Rich Cooper talked about the United States and how it is a melting pot in his video. I think more people need to study the history of the country and realize that it is literally built on the foundation of immigrants from all over the world, and all the cultures melt together to create a very diverse community. Political leaders like Trump trying to form all these different groups into one or two is really shaping society here in a bad way and everyone should be appreciated for what their culture has to offer and what they bring to the table here in this melting pot.
“You define who ‘us’ is, draw a perimeter around it, and protect it. You still interact and live with these people in society but there are two clearly defined groups”
This quote defines a big problem in society today. Trying to fit into a certain group so badly that you don't try to understand the other group and view other perspectives creates an unhealthy society.
Summary #5
article: Language as a Source of Otherness
“Although these differences have frequently been viewed as sources of problems and discord within organisations, differences can also be an opportunity for learning and growth”
I agree so much with this quote because everybody is different, and trying to hide these differences to fit in or be seen as more equal shouldn't be the way people feel like they have to act. Learning different languages or learning about other cultures and just being generally more educated about how the rest of the world lives would really change society if everybody thought that way.
“It is through language that we socially construct the Other and create (in)visible social boundaries.”
“The barrier of the different languages people speak are where othering starts, and oftentimes people that speak different languages look different or may act differently according to their culture, which can also cause people to exclude or ‘other’ people based on that.”
This idea that language separates people is so backwards to me, and it is definitely true in lots of cases but it should be used to connect and unite with people. Language is a way to communicate and communication creates understanding and love between people, accepting what our differences are and embracing them.
“language can cause exclusion and unfair treatment at work, especially when certain languages are seen as more valuable, or more ideal for a worker.”
Source #6
article: Inflammatory Rhetoric of Othering in Times of Humanitarian Crises
“political leaders have adopted and normalized the dangerous approach of demonizing the Other in their anti-immigrant and anti-refugee politics and rhetoric”
This is very dangerous, and upsetting to see how many different examples the author of this article was able to give of political leaders promoting othering. The issue is that people don't realize it because these leaders are so good at persuasion and the people like to follow, so they will agree with anything somebody might say just to fit in.
“Trumpian” rhetoric can be heard in multiple corners of the world, including Europe, whose anti-immigrant rhetoric exemplifies the Eurocentric West-and-the-Rest approach.”
“Very similar to Trump, Salvini also accused refugees and immigrants of raping, stealing, and drug dealing, painting the group as dangerous criminals.”
“Greece had recently imprisoned an Olympic swimmer named Sara Mardini for saving refugees coming off a sinking boat.”
This struck me as very wrong and inhumane, because Mardini was not saving these people necessarily because they were refugees, but because they are HUMANS and their boat was sinking, but was imprisoned because they happened to be refugees. Should she have just let them drown because they were trying to find a better life for themselves in another country?