Treating Bigotry

The main form of fighting bigotry is based on causing feelings of guilt and bad conscience. This is counterproductive because it leads to psychological repression and inhibits scientific research. Science needs to investigate the following question: are there evolutionary, psychological, genetic and biological factors that reinforce bigotry without predetermining it? It is a mistake to assume that nature is necessarily determinative and so psychology, biology, genetics and evolutionary science are certainly not the enemy. How can we treat bigotry? If there are genes that contribute to bigotry then such genes could be systematically removed from the gene pool. Schools should encourage pupils to openly talk about intrusive bigoted thoughts that they experience and help them manage this experience by recognizing that these thoughts are irrational. There is also existing medication that is effective in removing intrusive thoughts. Generally speaking it is unhelpful and counterproductive to repress and induce guilt for intrusive bigoted thoughts and it is certainly preferable to openly discuss them with others. The problem is that many people are negatively influenced by intrusive bigoted thoughts since these are generally not treated as people are not taught how to properly relate to them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is verified as scientific and is effective in managing intrusive thoughts and this needs to be done in group therapy and the classroom as well, so as to reduce bigotry in society.