A Stranger in the Village

Regarding my last post from earlier. I feel a little bad for describing people concerned about racism as "hysterical". It's true, this is my general feeling at the moment, but obviously our feelings are hugely dependant upon our own personal circumstances. So what may seem trivial to one person may feel much more weighty to another. So I should really bear that in mind.

Tribalism is quite a natural thing, and it can lead to fears. Often perfectly rational fears. That can then also spill over into irrational fears and prejudices.

A Village.

Take a village. Let's say a village set sometime in the distant past to make it especially rural and insular. Imagine the classic out of the way village in a vampire movie. Or perhaps some misty medieval farming settlement. Now if a stranger arrives in this village the people will have natural fears.

Who is this stranger? Will he/she rob us, or strangle us all in our sleep? Do they have good intentions?

These are natural fears. They certainly don't justify hostility or ill will towards the visitor, but they do excuse a little apprehension on the part of the villagers.

Likewise the stranger arriving in the village will also have fears.

What will this village be like? Are they friendly? Will they chase me out with pitchforks? Will they rob me and take my money?

Again, all natural fears. Understandable fears.

So to have good relations both sides need to understand and consider the feelings of the other. The villagers need to imagine what it must be like for that stranger. To put themselves in his or her shoes. The stranger in turn must put himself in the shoes of the villagers - and consider their natural apprehensions regarding strange people coming into their cosy little world.

Now this is a bit of a silly example, but it serves a purpose. To illustrate that these mutual fears are natural, and also subjective.

So Moving Forward..

Moving back to the modern world we see a similar, though much more complex situation.

People living in a particular area or country will naturally worry about the consequences of immigration. Not just regarding the individual immigrants themselves, but also the wider numerical consequences.

Do we have enough housing and resources for all these extra people? Will it affect my job opportunities? Will these people be law-abiding? Will it change the cultural or political landscape in a way that restricts or erodes my own cultural values?

Likewise immigrants, or people who don't feel fully native to a particular area, will also have fears.

Will I be the victim of prejudice and abuse from people who don't want me here? Will the political landscape change in a way that means the majority native population will use that power to persecute minorities such as myself? Will I have to hide or abandon my own cultural values to remain living here?

Again, natural fears on both sides. Fears that can at times lead to prejudice and hatred, but that have their roots in genuine worry and concern. So when people, from either side, voice their feelings regarding these fears they're generally not doing it from a place of hatred, but from a place of genuine concern. Perhaps at times selfish concern, but nevertheless concern. Therefore it's always important to try to look at things from the other perspective. To view things from the other side and take their concerns seriously.

It stands to reason that someone who is an immigrant, or from an immigrant family. Or likewise someone that is part of a minority religion or ethnicity. Will sympathise more with other immigrants and minorities, and less so with native populations when debates over immigration arise.

Similarly, it's likely that someone who feels fully native to a region will feel more sympathy with those arguing for immigration restrictions, as they're more likely to be affected negatively by such immigration. Neither side is necessarily right or wrong. It's often just an issue of perspective.

The people expressing concern over immigration levels aren't evil racists - they're people with genuine concerns about excessive immigration.

The people advocating for ever more immigration aren't deliberately trying to destroy countries or the lives of the people living there - they're people with genuine concerns about restrictions on immigration.

Demonising either side is the road to trouble.