So science says we love hating other cultures... That's just super.

[Laize]

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-may-be-hiding
http://billygordon.com/2012/06/13/dr.../#.UHpbFsVX2yZ

Specifically, when we're angry our brains release the chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals are also released when you stub your toe and swear. They are potent pain killers and are the same chemicals that get released when you smoke crack... and we all know how non-addictive crack is.

In addition, our brains are hard wired to feel elation when "our" team wins.

In fact, this phenomenon is so prevalent that world leaders have taken note and used it:

"As a whole, and at all times, the efficiency of the truly national leader consists primarily in preventing the division of the attention of a people, and always in concentrating it on a single enemy. The more uniformly the fighting will of a people is put into action, the greater will be the magnetic force of the movement."

Would that quote be less true if you knew it was from Adolf Hitler?

So, in summation, people are hard-wired into an "us vs them" mentality. Even if society weren't manipulating your "hate addiction" that mentality would still be there. There would just be no guided focus for it and there would be divisions in the closest "enemy" group (Maybe people who wear white after Labor Day?).

So it seem that, short of an alien invasion that gives us all a common target for our hate, we may be destined to fight from here until the Sun explodes.

So no one thinks I'm plagiarizing, all of this info was pulled from a Cracked article.

[Zhangfei]

Stop making serious things the other and put that energy into healthy rivalries, job done.

[apepi]

Is there a higher dopamine and norepinephrine levels in athletes/soldiers then the others? Would be good to know.

[Laize]

Is there a higher dopamine and norepinephrine levels in athletes/soldiers then the others? Would be good to know.

I don't know. I do know that men's testosterone rises up to 25% when "their team" wins regardless of whether they're actually ON the team.

I don't think it's a huge leap of faith to think that men actually on teams or deployment will have higher testosterone levels than men in more sedentary lifestyles.

[Anakso]

This made me realize I don't have a team of any kind.
I don't recall the last time, or even ever, seriously routing for someone to win anything.

[ejam320]

Could be an evolutionary trait since early humans probably fought over resources, territory, etc. Probably an advantage to have devout tribesman, and the tribes who didn't got out competed by these early extremist =)

[nyc81991]

What makes us "Human" is our ability to understand things and controll ourselves in ways no other Animal seems to. So while it might be in our nature to do certain things we don't actually have to give into them. We can make the conscious choice to transcend our lower instincts.

[Laize]

What makes us "Human" is our ability to understand things and controll ourselves in ways no other Animal seems to. So while it might be in our nature to do certain things we don't actually have to give into them. We can make the conscious choice to transcend our lower instincts.

Perhaps you missed the part where anger released addictive chemicals into the brain.

[Booshman]

This is kind of fascinating. Especially that Cracked article.

[Felya]

So racists are simply like people who sky dive? I don't think those chemicals are as intended to encourage behavior, but like any defense mechanism, helps you deal with a traumatic experience. That's why there are people who get addicted to pain killers and other drugs. It's inducing the defense mechanism, without the trauma associated with it. The trauma is supposed to discourage, while the chemical reaction helps you deal with trauma.

[nyc81991]

Perhaps you missed the part where anger released addictive chemicals into the brain.

Well, I never said it is easy. However that doesn't make it impossible.

[mittacc]

so that's why being angry feels so good? I'm a sith, yo!

[Deleted]

I think the whole point of congnitive thought is to be able to transcend this type of primitive behavior in order to accomplish things that "instinct" would screw up. We dont just start pissing on the floor whenever we feel like it, do we?

[MustacheSnowglobe]

but i belong to no team, except horde hehe. i've never been into sports and other cultures don't offend me. i really don't get racism and stuff.

[Deleted]

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-may-be-hiding
http://billygordon.com/2012/06/13/dr.../#.UHpbFsVX2yZ

Specifically, when we're angry our brains release the chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals are also released when you stub your toe and swear. They are potent pain killers and are the same chemicals that get released when you smoke crack... and we all know how non-addictive crack is.

In addition, our brains are hard wired to feel elation when "our" team wins.

In fact, this phenomenon is so prevalent that world leaders have taken note and used it:



Would that quote be less true if you knew it was from Adolf Hitler?

So, in summation, people are hard-wired into an "us vs them" mentality. Even if society weren't manipulating your "hate addiction" that mentality would still be there. There would just be no guided focus for it and there would be divisions in the closest "enemy" group (Maybe people who wear white after Labor Day?).

So it seem that, short of an alien invasion that gives us all a common target for our hate, we may be destined to fight from here until the Sun explodes.

So no one thinks I'm plagiarizing, all of this info was pulled from a Cracked article.

This is hardly news. We're social animals. We love to do the "Us and them" thing.

[Pull My Finger]

Ah, yes. Survey says, science has proven and humans are hard-wired to *insert whatever*. Yawn. People love to buy into that "science" stuff. Guess it's the 21. century human's substitute for religion - passing over responsibilites to higher powers . It's really strange how I've never been particularly subject to all this stuff we're supposed to be hard-wired to.

[Deleted]

This is hardly news. We're social animals. We love to do the "Us and them" thing.

Speak for yourself. I dont do the "Us and them" thing. I do the "Include them to us, so that we can be more productive" thing. Theres a difference on how to use our programmed habits.

[Laize]

Ah, yes. Survey says, science has proven and humans are hard-wired to *insert whatever*. Yawn. People love to buy into that "science" stuff. Guess it's the 21. century human's substitute for religion - passing over responsibilites to higher powers . It's really strange how I've never been particularly subject to all this stuff we're supposed to be hard-wired to.

Never cheered for a sports team? Never had any sort of competition? Never played a video game where other people played?

[semaphore]

Speak for yourself. I dont do the "Us and them" thing. I do the "Include them to us, so that we can be more productive" thing. Theres a difference on how to use our programmed habits.

Creamy Flames is obviously referring to us as a species. And it's true. We're pretty bad at across the board all inclusiveness.

[Dezerte]

Not suprising.

You need only look at hooligans, zealots or fanboys. People can do/act in a terrible manner because of this "us vs. them" mentality.

However, there are at least some of us that can control and suppress these instincts.