Self-hatred
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section deals primarily with United States and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
 |
Please see the discussion on the talk page. |
Self-hatred literally refers to an extreme dislike of oneself, or being angry at oneself. The term is also used to designate a dislike or hatred of a group to which one belongs. For instance, 'ethnic self-hatred' is the extreme dislike of one's ethnic group. Accusations of self-hatred are often used as an ad hominem attack.
The term 'self-hatred' is used infrequently by psychologists and psychiatrists, who would usually describe people who hate themselves as 'persons with low self-esteem'. Some people think that self-hatred and shame are important factors in some or many mental disorders, especially disorders that involve a perceived defect of oneself (e.g. body dysmorphic disorder). "Ethnic self-hatred" is considered by some people as being a cultural issue, to which psychological theories have limited relevance.
Contents |
[edit] Types of self-hatred
The term Self-hatred can refer to either a strong dislike for oneself, one's actions, or a strong dislike or hatred of one's own race, gender, or sexual orientation. When used in the latter context it is generally defined as hatred of one's identity based on the demographic in question, as well as a desire to distance oneself from this identity.
[edit] Personal self-hatred
Personal self-hatred is similar to self-loathing and can result in an inferiority complex. Some sociology theorists such as Jerry Mander see television programming as being deliberately designed to induce self-hatred, negative body image, and depression, with the advertising then being used to suggest the cure [1]. See also the arguments related to the Kill your television phenomenon.
[edit] Jewish self-hatred
Main article: Self-hating Jew
[edit] Black self-hatred
As with Jewish self-hate, there is some disagreement as to what it means to be Black. Some Black people feel that those who demonstrate a preference for clothing styles, music choices, etc. that have been predominantly associated with white culture are self-hating. Thus for them being Black is more just one’s skin color. Some, such as journalist John Carlson, have suggested that gangsta rap is a form of Black Self-hatred. In his view, when Black rappers portray Black women as "bitches" and "whores" and Black men as "worthy of respect only in relation to their capacity to kill or maim others" they are essentially expressing a form of self-hate with basically buying into and propagating, through their music, racist stereotypes about Black people. This term has been used by Black supremacist groups to defend racism, arguing that this self-hatred results from attempting to coexist with Whites.
Black self-hatred can show itself in the form of embarrassment or shame in those things that are culturally identified with African heritage. Such feelings are ingrained in subtle ways from childhood. Some black people may become reluctant to share or perpetuate activities or traditions that have in the past caused them anxiety. They may come to hate those things and, by extension, themselves.
Another variation of Black self-hatred is the issue of colorism, which refers to the intracultural conflict between light-complected (and sometimes straight-haired) Black people and dark-complected Black people. This is attributed to to the effects of slavery and segregation, as light-skinned blacks (which included quadroons and even octoroons) have often been treated considerably better by white slave masters, or by white society in general, than their more full-blooded brethren. Also to note is that the notion of "superiority" of light-skinned Blacks over dark-skinned Blacks, or vice versa, is scientifically erroneous, as no correlations have been found between lightness of skin in blacks and intelligence, job success, or other factors. In addition, there are many autochthonous African (or peripheral African) groups which have narrower features and straighter hair than the classic "West African" phenotype (such as Tutsis or Aborigines), but these features had little, if anything, to do with Caucasian admixture, as was previously believed. Self-hatred exists on the African continent as well, mainly due to the influence of European colonizers who believed that certain groups were more "Caucasian" in appearance than others (see Hamitic Myth). This theory has been named by some as one of the causes of the Rwandan Genocide.
[edit] Asian self-hatred
Unlike Jewish self-hatred and Black self-hatred, there are very few disagreements as to what it means to be Asian. Most Asian-Americans are within just two or three generations of their Asian immigrant ancestors and are therefore very acutely aware of their Asian identity. They are further being reminded constantly by others of their or other ethnic group, regardless of whether this reminder takes on a negative or positive connotation. Most Asian-Americans have been asked, at one time or another, from which country they came, even if they were born in the USA, and even if their families have been here for several generations.
Similar to Black self-hatred, Asian self-hatred can manifest in the form of embarrassment or shame in things associated with Asian heritage.
Asian-American intraracial discrimination involves mainly how long one has resided in the USA and the degree to which one has adopted American customs. Asian-Americans whose ancestors emigrated from Asia generations earlier may look down on those who just arrived within the last few decades. Of those who have been outside of Asia about the same length of time, intra-Asian discrimination is often based on the degree of assimilation: local language fluency, behavior, and wardrobe.
[edit] Assimilation in the USA
American culture has generally been more inclined to accept minority women over minority men[citation needed], especially with regard to Asians who are still considered to be "foreign". The "foreign" female is often considered "fascinating" and "exotic" while the male is regarded as either inferior (if passive) or threatening (if assertive). Thus, there are far more high-profile Asian women in the news media than there are Asian men. The same is true for TV dramas and movies. These discrepancies further promote discrimination and resentment between Asian men and women, furthering the Asian self-hatred phenomenon.
Just as some Black women go through great trouble to straighten their hair or lighten their skin to look more "white", some Asian women undergo surgeries to raise/narrow their noses or widen their eyes to have a Caucasian appearance. Some Asian-American women and girls also prefer to have Caucasian husbands or boyfriends, which has been seen as not only manifestations of self-hatred, but also as a way to achieve a perceived improvement in social status.
[edit] White self-hatred
A less common example of the phenomenon of self-hatred is White self-hatred. This term has been used by White supremacist groups, like their Black counterparts, to defend racism, arguing that this self-hatred results from attempting to coexist with Blacks.
Often people feel ashamed of atrocities committed in the past by their ancestors. This includes colonialism, slavery and the segregation conflict in the 20th century. White self-hatred is often related to feelings of dissatisfaction about the current capitalistic nature of society and social issues such as income inequality and pollution. It is often argued that evidence of widespread White self hatred in academic circles is the protection that political correctness offers to all racial or cultural group with the exception of mainstream whites.
A more benign version of this type of White self-hatred is referred to as White Liberal Guilt. White Liberal Guilt can cause a person to become overly concerned with making up for past injustices and this influences their decisions and actions. For example, a person voting between two candidates for public office, one white and one a minority, may decide that even though they feel the white candidate is more qualified to be elected, they will feel guilty if they do not vote for the minority candidate because it helps make up for past discrimination.
[edit] Homosexual self-hatred
Since homosexuality is not a readily discernible physical attribute, many homosexual people conceal their sexual orientation out of fear that they may be ridiculed, abused, or persecuted by others. While homosexuality is a crime in some countries, homosexual self-hatred is common even in countries with a relatively high level of tolerance for homosexuality. Even a homosexual individual raised in an environment of tolerance might perceive his or her own sexual feelings as immoral, unhealthy, or shameful.
Some argue that latent homosexual tendencies, when repressed, often lead to homophobic actions. A self-hating homosexual may actively support efforts to limit the civil rights of homosexuals, openly criticize homosexuality, or openly engage in homophobic behavior. Famous examples include Roy Cohn, and the Mayor of Spokane, Washington Jim West. The groundbreaking 1970 movie The Boys in the Band depicted gay characters engaged in and reacting to self-hatred. Some gays merely "hate" others who embody homophobic stereotypes. They may even "wish" for themselves to be straight, or become deeply depressed.
[edit] Self-injury as self-hatred
Self-harm is a psychological disorder, which may involve self-hatred, where the subject feels compelled to physically injure themselves.
[edit] Controversy over the definition and use of the label self-hatred
Accusations of self-hatred are sometimes alleged to be used as an ad hominem attack in order to try and discredit a person the accuser disagrees with. [2] An example where this abuse has been said to occur was in relation to Ward Connerly, an African-American businessman and University of California Regent. Connerly vigorously led a campaign opposing affirmative action in California and later across the country. Some affirmative action supporters claim he and other Black people opposed to affirmative action are denying the positive benefits they have received via affirmative action, and thus are self-hating Blacks. Connerly's supporters argue that affirmative action is a form of reverse racism that ultimately is bad for Black people and prevents society from becoming truly color blind, an ideal goal in their view.
[edit] See also
- Affirmative action
- Anti-Semitism
- Cultural cringe
- Racism
- Societal attitudes towards homosexuality
- Anti-Hindu
- IMSCF syndrome
[edit] References
- Is Black self-hatred racist? John Carlson, Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, Feb. 9 1994.
- Sander L. Gilman Difference and Pathology: Stereotypes of Sexuality, Race and Madness Cornell University Press, 1985
