Is Racism a Mental Illness ?!?

[Gringostan]

In have considered racism. Now racism is an illogical, unreasonable hatred based on a person being of a different race. It seems to be resistant to change. Another aspect of it is that racist can be miserable unless they get their "White Only" or "Black only" homeland.
In consideration of it being difficult to change and there desire for their own "homelands" could racism be considered a mental illness ? I ask because they also carry powerful delusions, such as White people are superior or that Black people came from a superior culture (Granted, genetic research proves they came from the *first* Human culture). if you believe it is a mental illness, then how can we treat these people or should they be locked away in a psychiatric institute ?

[The New Sea Territory]

I generally don't like calling things a mental illness.

But racism, like most bigotry, is a social illness, holding society back and dividing people.

[Glasnia]

But why is racism bad?

[Khadgar]

But why is racism bad?

Because it's bloody stupid?

[Ambipom]

I wouldn't really call it a mental illness, most of the time it's just how someone is brought up.

[Gringostan]

But why is racism bad?

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Do+ ... ORM=VRDGAR

[Jolthig]

Racism is not a mental illness since mental illnesses cause suffering.

Racism is simply irrational ignorance.

[Gringostan]

I wouldn't really call it a mental illness, most of the time it's just how someone is brought up.

I would. An example is believing Jews run all businesses. Or believing African-Americans are "apes". Those sound like delusional beliefs.

[ZeroLabs Experimental Community]

In have considered racism. Now racism is an illogical, unreasonable hatred based on a person being of a different race. It seems to be resistant to change. Another aspect of it is that racist can be miserable unless they get their "White Only" or "Black only" homeland.
In consideration of it being difficult to change and there desire for their own "homelands" could racism be considered a mental illness ? I ask because they also carry powerful delusions, such as White people are superior or that Black people came from a superior culture (Granted, genetic research proves they came from the *first* Human culture). if you believe it is a mental illness, then how can we treat these people or should they be locked away in a psychiatric institute ?

Racism is not a mental illness as much as it is a result of upbringing or personal experiences. Some older people remain racist because that was the norm of the time they lived in, while others are because they may have been constantly wronged by someone of another race and thus formed the opinion that most people of that race are not to be trusted and such. Some racism may stem from wars, like WWII when the US fought against the Japanese. Or currently where Terrorists are usually of middle eastern descent with a specific religion.

it's not a mental illness by any means, but an opinion resulting from unpleasant early or continuing experiences, or upbringing, combined with stubbornness and grudges.

[Chuukango]

Rascism is an opinion that Race A is better than Race B Because ____
Or that every *insert race here* are criminals


So no, it's not a mental illness, it's a strong opinion (However unreasonable.)

This probably sums it up better:

Racism is not a mental illness since mental illnesses cause suffering.

Racism is simply irrational ignorance.

[Mefpan]

No, it's not.

It's an outdated way of thinking, and often deeply flawed in its reasoning, but I have little love for the idea of declaring any sign of opposing thought as a mental defect that would warrant therapeutic attention. Institutionalizing or forcibly medicating people who do have contrary viewpoints is just fucked up beyond all measure.

Different ideas are fought by debunking them, not by nurturing a siege mentality by actively doing things to them that convinves people that the cuckmunists of the SJWiet Union are out to get them.

[Neutraligon]

No, it is simply a tribalistic way of thinking, that is hardly surprising.

[Meryuma]

Fuck no, racists are just being assholes. But of course, we have to search for new ways to equate mental illness with evil, because there just aren't enough already.

[-The West Coast-]

Its not a mental illness. Its a learned behavior taught by experiences.

[Frank Zipper]

No, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was a higher incidence of people with mental health problems amongst racists than in the general population.

[Conserative Morality]

No. Every wrong idea is not a mental illness.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

People with a mental illness often cannot control their conditions. Racism can be controlled and it can be changed. So no, it is not a mental illness. It is asshattery, however.

[Traditional Conservative Justice]

Don't you dare say that my beloved Donald Trump has a mental illness! It's commie Hilary who needs to be locked away in prison!

[Glamour]

It is not so much a mental illness as a personality disorder and form of group hysteria. Which are mental phenomena. It is probably better described as a mental disorder, or a form of highly disordered thinking. Which can be in some cases classified as a mental illness or a symptom thereof.

It is all swings and roundabouts.

[Betoni]

In have considered racism. Now racism is an illogical, unreasonable hatred based on a person being of a different race. It seems to be resistant to change. Another aspect of it is that racist can be miserable unless they get their "White Only" or "Black only" homeland.
In consideration of it being difficult to change and there desire for their own "homelands" could racism be considered a mental illness ? I ask because they also carry powerful delusions, such as White people are superior or that Black people came from a superior culture (Granted, genetic research proves they came from the *first* Human culture). if you believe it is a mental illness, then how can we treat these people or should they be locked away in a psychiatric institute ?

You can nicely muddy the waters by replacing racism with xenophobia. Calling anything a phobia lends the description some intellectual property, as phobia, is a real medical term. Unfortunately, while real racism still exist and should be tackled with all possible prowess, the term, just like every other trending one, is hot property and is easy to hijack for a number of goals. Make no mistake, racism is still alive and breathing. It is just getting a CPR from the growing dispersity of social classes.

[Lady Scylla]

Its not a mental illness. Its a learned behavior taught by experiences.

This, and to add: Learnt behaviour taught by experience through illogical generalisation.

[Herargon]

Being a discriminator isn't a mental issue. The social attitude we have towards the concept of it is one of undesirability; we do not like discrimination and see it as unwelcome in our society.

A mental disease is something that affects your brain in various and often negative ways, and this is an important distinction to make.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Its not a mental illness. Its a learned behavior taught by experiences.

This, and to add: Learnt behaviour taught by experience through illogical generalisation.

Yup. To try and explain it as a mental illness also feels like an attempt at justifying it.

[Yorkers]

"Yea let's just call our opponents a bunch of handicapped retards because proving them wrong is hard".

[Yorkers]

No, it's not.

It's an outdated way of thinking, and often deeply flawed in its reasoning, but I have little love for the idea of declaring any sign of opposing thought as a mental defect that would warrant therapeutic attention. Institutionalizing or forcibly medicating people who do have contrary viewpoints is just fucked up beyond all measure.

Different ideas are fought by debunking them, not by nurturing a siege mentality by actively doing things to them that convinves people that the cuckmunists of the SJWiet Union are out to get them.

The Soviet Union actually did declare that opposition to the Soviet state was a mental illness though.