Why Do Kids Have So Much Energy

“When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, we were not encouraged to hate anyone. We had no hatred towards blacks, Asians, Mexicans, Native Americans, or other ethnicities. If someone did something bad to us, like steal from our family, we would try to forgive them because they must have needed money. The same logic applied to being mistreated by a boss or employee, or if you made an honest mistake. You’d apologize and ask your boss’s forgiveness. There wasn’t any sort of hateful ideology that I learned about as a child — just basic Christian values of love and compassion.
In today’s society, there are still many people who believe this way, especially those who are conservative. They don’t think that it’s okay to be mean-spirited toward others, including their wives and children. These people often feel threatened by the rise of feminism and equality movements. Their response to these changes is to cling even more tightly to traditional gender roles.
The reason why so many people hate women can be found in the Bible, which teaches that God created male and female slaves (Genesis 1:27) for his pleasure. This concept was supported by ancient civilizations such as Babylonian, Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Persian, and Indian cultures. In all of these societies, boys were considered more valuable than girls. Girls were seen as objects of sexuality rather than humans with feelings, thoughts, dreams, hopes, ambitions, and aspirations.
This idea eventually morphed into misogyny, which means hatred or contempt for women. It is a form of sexism used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced for thousands of years. It is reflected in art, literature, human societal structure, historical events, mythology, philosophy, and religion worldwide.
It’s easy to see how this attitude could lead to violence against women. When a man hates women, he feels justified in treating them harshly. He may beat them, rape them, kill them, or engage in verbal abuse. A woman who experiences this kind of hate may become depressed and isolate herself from friends, family, and society. She may resort to alcohol or drugs to cope with life. Or she might use self-defense methods to protect her body from being violated.
If you read through history, you’ll find examples of misogynists throughout time. One example is the Aztec emperor Montezuma II, whose wife and daughters were killed on the orders of the Spanish conquistadores after they conquered Tenochtitlán. Another is Ivan the Terrible, the leader of Russia during its civil war between Catholics and Orthodox Christians in 1570s. During this period, he ordered the killing of tens of thousands of innocent Russian citizens, most notably members of the rival Old Belief sect.
Another example is Adolf Hitler, who believed that the best way to maintain order within Germany was to eliminate “”inferior”” races. Hitler targeted Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, Poles, Slavs, Russians, and other minorities. Nazi extermination camps included Auschwitz, Majdanek, Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka. As a result of the Holocaust, 6 million Jews lost their lives.
Hitler was known for his hatred of Christianity. He claimed that Jesus Christ was nothing but a fraud, and that his teachings were based upon lies. According to this view, Jesus never existed and was merely a mythical figure invented by early church leaders.
Some religious groups promote hatred toward nonbelievers. For instance, some Muslims believe that Allah will punish people who do not follow Islam by sending them to hell. Other religions teach that everyone will go to heaven regardless of whether they’re good people or not. Some sects of Hinduism believe that reincarnation is true, while others say that karma determines what happens to individuals after death.
Misogynistic attitudes also exist in modern popular culture. Take the movie, “”Pretty Woman,”” released in 1990. At one point in the film, Edward, the wealthy businessman who hires Vivian, refers to her as a “”bitch.”” Later, when Vivian asks him out on a date, he says, “”I’m busy tonight.”” These comments show that many viewers viewed Vivian as a sex object instead of a person. Many movies portray women as sexual temptresses or whores, who should be punished or humiliated.
Popular music lyrics reflect misogyny too. Songs like Eminem’s “”Lose Yourself”” portray women as shallow and manipulative. Rap songs include references to “”bitches”” and “”hoes.”” Rock singers sing about having groupies and sleeping with hundreds of women. Country singer Toby Keith sings about cheating on his girlfriend with strippers. And heavy metal bands like Metallica refer to women as “”whores”” and “”dykes,”” among other degrading epithets.
What does this mean? How can misogyny make people want to hurt women? What can we do to stop hating each other? Read on to learn about psychology behind misogyny.
Psychology Behind Hatred Towards Women
There isn’t really a biological cause for hating women. But psychologists can explain why some people develop intense negative emotions when they hear certain words. Psychologist Robert Hare developed a test called Projection Response Inventory to measure a person’s tendency to project unpleasant inner qualities onto others. People with high scores on the PRI tend to attribute negative characteristics onto others without knowing it. This explains why some people hate women.
Hare believes that the root of misogyny is anger. When a woman gets angry, she becomes aggressive and attacks men verbally or physically. Therefore, if you feel angry toward a woman, you assume that she’s attacking you. To defend yourself, you start thinking negatively about her character, intelligence, and looks. You then conclude that you need to control or dominate her, so that she won’t harm you anymore.
You may also blame women for making false accusations of domestic violence. In fact, studies show that women don’t lie about being abused. Instead, men make false allegations to avoid accountability for their actions.
These psychological processes help explain why men hate women. Now let’s look at ways that you can change your mind.
One method of overcoming misogyny is to confront prejudice directly. Say, for example, that you think of all black people as thieves. Try asking a friend or colleague to give you feedback about your racist views. Then listen carefully, and examine your reasoning objectively. Perhaps you’ve come to believe that only a thief steals because you know lots of white people who aren’t thieves. Alternatively, maybe you think black people deserve punishment for stealing since they’re undeserving of respect. When you’re ready, you can begin working toward resolving your problems with racism.
Change Your Mind About…
Changing your mind about anything requires two things: knowledge and action. First, realize that your beliefs about women are unfair and inaccurate. Second, take steps to correct your behavior and beliefs. Here are several tips to get started changing your mind about women:
1. Write down your opinions about women. Ask yourself questions like, Does every woman cheat on her husband? Is it possible to trust all women? Are all women liars? Why do men hate women?
2. Look at pictures of attractive women and ugly fat women. Which ones do you find least appealing? Why?
3. Think back over your interactions with women. Were they positive? Did you treat them respectfully? Was the interaction satisfying?
4. Examine your past relationships. Were they happy? Could you talk openly about feelings? Did you communicate effectively?
5. Talk with a trusted male friend or coworker about your experiences with women. Find out what he thinks. Maybe he doesn’t agree with your judgmental views.
6. Watch films and TV shows that portray strong women characters. Learn about different cultures and lifestyles.
7. Get involved in activities that bring diverse people together. Volunteer to work in a soup kitchen, or join a support group for battered women.
8. Consider therapy to explore sexist beliefs and behaviors.
9. Don’t put unrealistic expectations on romantic partners. Accept that not all women live up to your standards.
10. Remember that you’re entitled to your own opinion. However, don’t force your ideas on others. Be open minded about new information.
Forget hatred toward women. It’s healthier and better for you. By understanding where misogyny comes from, you can overcome it.”