What will replace "God", "Racism" and the like?

[Rockingham AH Deist]

We here, for the most part, recognize these as social ill's, and see it as desirable for them to vanish. It seems to me however, that while it would be possible for them to vanish, the instinctual core behind them will not- that is to say "Groupthink".

Clearly this groupthink, this tribal mentality, is stronger in some people then others. I'm willing to bet that to an extent many are born that way. So, if religion and racism become extinct, how will that "groupthink" mentality manifest itself?

 

[tyr_13]

Cola wars.

 

[plumjam]

Extreme environmentalism, Global Warming Catastrophism nuttery, Green Bin Morality.. happening right now.

 

[Twiler]

More diverse obsessions over specific people/ideas, more varieties of anti-intellectualism, MMORPG guilds.

 

[John Jones]

42

 

[D'rok]

Internet Forums.

 

[gabeygoat]

Cola wars.

haha

 

[Sledge]

Internet Forums.

Sounds about right. The alt text to an XKCD strip reads something like "I can't wait for the day that people respond to someone saying 'I'm from the internet' not with laughter but by saying 'Oh? Which part?'"

 

[TragicMonkey]

People who can move their ears versus people who can't.

You immobile ear scum are doomed! Mwah hah hah!

 

[Darth Rotor]

We here, for the most part, recognize these as social ill's, and see it as desirable for them to vanish. It seems to me however, that while it would be possible for them to vanish, the instinctual core behind them will not- that is to say "Groupthink".

Clearly this groupthink, this tribal mentality, is stronger in some people then others. I'm willing to bet that to an extent many are born that way. So, if religion and racism become extinct, how will that "groupthink" mentality manifest itself?

You could get rid of religion without getting rid of racism. I don't understand why the two are coupled in your thought piece.

DR

 

[JimBenArm]

JBA worship. After all, if you're going to worship a superior being, the being should actually be superior.

 

[Mark6]

You could get rid of religion without getting rid of racism. I don't understand why the two are coupled in your thought piece.

Religion and racism are both examples of groupthink. They do not have to be intertwined.

To answer OP -- while groupthink may well be fundamental part of (most) people's psychology, and will remain as long as humans remain humans, I think there can be one great antidote to groupthink's worst manifestations:

Radical life extension, preferably indefinite life extension

People who do not feel pressing hand of mortality, will have much less need to be "part of something bigger than themselves" -- which is what enables[1] tyrannies and wars and pogroms.

[1] Not necessarily causes, but enables. "Be a part of something bigger than yourself!" is a great line for demagogues of all stripes.

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

Radical life extension, preferably indefinite life extension

People who do not feel pressing hand of mortality, will have much less need to be "part of something bigger than themselves" -- which is what enables[1] tyrannies and wars and pogroms.

Radical life extension will make matters far worse if it is not coupled with radical resource extension.

 

[Red3]

Aren't there already a bunch of things in our society that are just as bad that run alongside religion and racism anyway (rabid nationalism being one)? You get rid of those two, the rest will probably (eventually) fall by the wayside, although I think religion, racism etc are going to be with us for some time yet.

If "and the like" being all other examples of groupthink, then I think the short answer is "nothing". When they're gone they'll all go more or less together.

 

[Mark6]

Radical life extension will make matters far worse if it is not coupled with radical resource extension decrease in birthrate.

"Resource extension" won't do squat if people keep on breeding and do not die. Whereas if people stop both dying and breeding (or rather, both scale down greatly), then no need for resource extension, radical or otherwise.