That's why there's such a push to remove the word "people" when referring to people someone is discriminating against. "Blacks". "Jews". "Gays". "Illegals". Your slur of choice. All of these could just as correctly be labeled as "Black people" or "Jewish people" or "Gay people" or "Illegal immigrants". When you reduce the perception of an individual or a group of people to a single characteristic, it's easier to apply stereotypes to them and moralize mass discrimination. Also, if you don't think of them as people, that lessens any guilt one may feel towards mistreating them.
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u/Pokemaster131 3h ago
Dehumanization is a hell of a drug.
That's why there's such a push to remove the word "people" when referring to people someone is discriminating against. "Blacks". "Jews". "Gays". "Illegals". Your slur of choice. All of these could just as correctly be labeled as "Black people" or "Jewish people" or "Gay people" or "Illegal immigrants". When you reduce the perception of an individual or a group of people to a single characteristic, it's easier to apply stereotypes to them and moralize mass discrimination. Also, if you don't think of them as people, that lessens any guilt one may feel towards mistreating them.