The intensity is real. No holding back. Anything goes. Be prepared.
One of the best psychological inventions in history is the creation of the "other." Nothing motivates people like fear and the hatred it creates. If something disturbs the peace, there has to be something that shoulders the blame. There are many regimes over history who have used this tactic for their own purposes, and every single "side" is guilty of it to some capacity. There are people who do horrible things, but if one can do it, why wouldn't they all?
"One bad apple and the whole barrel is spoiled." This quote from the animated short horror-style film "The Backwater Gospel," directed by Bo Mathorne, is inspired by the title of Joshua 7:1-7:26. The scripture can be inferred as, "one means all." These very powerful words which can be used as justification for all sorts of blaming, hatred and violence against an entire group of people over the actions of one.
To lightly summarize the plot, a town full of citizens is afraid of the undertaker because his presence means that someone is going to die. The people find solace in the church, listening to sermons from a preacher. One man, however, does not attend church or "submit to the Lord." The man tells the people while they are in the chapel that the undertaker is coming, causing them to flee to their homes for safety because they are afraid that they might be the one who is going to die. After a week filled with the constant presence of the undertaker hitting their town, the people return to church where the preacher explains that the suffering is caused by the one "bad apple" who refuses to submit to the Lord, and then says that the Lord wants them to "throw out the bad apple." Violence ensues, and for more of the gory details, the link is in the film's title.
There has to be a motivation in order to spark action, and what better motivation than fear for one's life? The concern that at any moment someone could come and take away everything is perfect fuel for blame and blind hatred. People on any side of an issue are still human, but fear creates monsters out of everyone. That desire to no longer feel vulnerable sits on the shoulders of humanity saying to find solace, and project those feelings onto something more physical and not the mechanisms of the mind.
This fear is also heritable. And much like a bad habit, it is hard to break free of seeing all for the actions of one. Even with conscious practice, sometimes it is hard to fight those first immediate thoughts of blame, fear or hatred. But that doesn't mean hope is lost. Being aware of these thoughts allows for a difference in the future. One of the great things about being alive is the ability to change over time. Those important changes are what lead humanity closer to a better place of understanding and acceptance.
