h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Xenophobia does not always have to be a nation. An individual can be xenophobic. Millions of people are xenophobic all the time, but don't start wars about it.
I'm not saying it's a good thing, I'm just saying that people are ignorant and thoughtless, and they always will be.
Animals are all extremely Xenophobic. Any animal not from their tribe will be fought. What do you think territory is to an animal if it is not his "country"?

wide

I find it interesting though that the word stems from
xenos a greek word/concept meaning both friend and stranger,
guest and host

Well, what do the Greeks know? Bloody foreigners, as Prince Philip would say.

yeah, they were probably put together by Indians.

wide

Referring to both article and first message.

Hang on, I think your both maing gross generalistaions. Xenophobia is not ALWAYS a nation, and not ALL animals are xenophobic.
Besides, the "xenophobia" in the animal kingdom cannot be called xenophobia unless we can read the animals thoughts. Xenophobia is fear of strangers, (or interestingly enough, fear of aliens, but thats anothe thing entirely) but only *unfounded* fear. What I mean is that the "xenophobia" in the animal kingdom is often a way of protecting the pack/individual.

But each to their own I suppose

That's not Xenophobia at all! Xenophobia is a PHOBIA!
It's an unreasoning fear, FEAR of foreigners.
Agrophobia is a fear of being outside and a fear of strangers.
It's about a chemical in the brain! not a mental disposition!

Phobias are a mental disposition. They can't be treated with drugs, only therapy, therefore they are mental.

wide

I said that phobias are not a mental disposition. People do not wake up one day and tell themselves that, "Hey! I hate all foreigners! Good for me." It's like being insane, it's somehting you're born to, not something you decide.

Still, in this case I dissagree. The term Xenophobia, as we use it today, is not an unreasoning fear. It is hatred, and is completely manufactured by upbringing or surroundings.

wide

Nonsense, xenophobia can clearly be induced by propaganda....see prewar Germany, England during the Falklands (Malvinas) Islands incident.

erm... isn't propaganda included in "upbringing and surroundings"?

wide

You aren't talking about xenophobia here. You're talking about racism. They're completely different things. And yes, phobias can be treated with medication.