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Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

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101–110 of 128 posts

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#101

This reminds me of Girard's idea that Christianity (and others I'm sure) was effective because it showed things from the victim's point of view. I'm not making the claim that it fixed everything, but it's an interesting idea nonetheless.

Jesus himself preached against the human tendencies shown in this study:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one"

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#103

For many affiliations, particularly political ones, your affiliation is more based on hating the outgroup than loving the ingroup. For example, I would wager that most Republicans hate Democrats more than they love Republicans and more progressives hate conservatives more than they love progressives. You need look no further than left and right leaning news sources to see this. A left leaning news source is far more…

Indeed, it seems more like a form of self defense than self affirmation

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#104
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some of us are very aware of such exploitation, but we’re skeptical that we’ll be less exploited by those given political power to deal with those immoral capitalists. History is full of examples of party leaders in Marxist countries wining and dining while the populace lives in poverty. It happens when too much power rests in any institution. So I personally oppose large businesses as much as I oppose large governme…

But what kind of policy does that opposition to large businesses translate to? How do you prevent them from actually arising? Left answer to that is that large businesses are the result of unbounded concentration of capital. Left authoritarians (the ones I think you refer to as Marxists? even though not all of them are, and not all Marxists are authoritarian) want to limit it by state action. Left libertarians think…

That's what I'm wondering. Maybe we agree about the apparent root cause of the issue but we need a tangible solution to it, which could be restructuring ownership of businesses to better suit the people that make up those businesses. Regulation is a way to do that, or other things. But whatever we do will take some sort of regulation, or those same people who have too much money and power are going to keep doing the same old shit

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#105
post #9

> The researchers had 35 male college students complete a competitive, aggressive task against either a student from their university or from what they were told was a rival university. Male college students, an “aggressive task”, and a rival university. College students are literally trained to associate out-competing rival universities as a fun and desirable activity. It’s the entire foundation of sports programs.…

>College students are literally trained to associate out-competing rival universities as a fun and desirable activity. This was not my experience in undergrad, literally at all. No idea where this comes from

We definitely were introduced to my state school’s rivalry at my undergrad orientation. It’s all in good fun, but certainly reinforced.

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#106
post #63
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those campuses are seeped in that rivarly. You'll hear chants, speeches, etc. It's a tradition.

To add on to this, I have a co-worker from a specific university who would not buy a car because it was a rival universities colour. This person is ~30 years out of school, and the vehicle was an INCREDIBLE deal and exactly what the person was looking to buy (other than the colour). The person never competed in sports and was a comp sci major. It runs deep for at many schools.

I chose my car color over my other preferred color (orange) for precisely this reason.

It’s fun to use little heuristics like this - and completely harmless considering the inconsequence of the decision. I know it doesn’t matter, but I can’t buy two cars, and I really could have gone either way. Is this really so far fetched?

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#107
post #72
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To add on to this, I have a co-worker from a specific university who would not buy a car because it was a rival universities colour. This person is ~30 years out of school, and the vehicle was an INCREDIBLE deal and exactly what the person was looking to buy (other than the colour). The person never competed in sports and was a comp sci major. It runs deep for at many schools.

They themselves might have cared, but damn if I wear a purple shirt in Seattle folks are like Go Huskies to me, to the point where I think twice about putting it on or wearing it outside the house. I could give a damn about sports or nationalism, but lots of other idiots do.

> idiots

Downvoted and reported, frankly. How can you do callously say something about this? You do realize sports fans are (for the most part) self aware of the inconsequence of a sports rivalry in the real world, right?

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#108
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>College students are literally trained to associate out-competing rival universities as a fun and desirable activity. This was not my experience in undergrad, literally at all. No idea where this comes from

I really enjoy trolling the Harvard grads I know by referring to their “time at Yale or Princeton or wherever.” Old school rivalries run deep and are a lot of fun to play up. Also, for all of you in South Carolina, go Tigers (and Chants), booo Cocks!

I’m a proud Gamecock, and maybe that’s why I’m all over this thread.

I just replied to a guy a few comments up about how I unironically chose a red car over orange (one of my favorite colors) because go, fight, win, kick ass, fuck Clemson!

We can all agree the SC state flag is pretty, I guess.

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really enjoy trolling the Harvard grads I know by referring to their “time at Yale or Princeton or wherever.” Old school rivalries run deep and are a lot of fun to play up. Also, for all of you in South Carolina, go Tigers (and Chants), booo Cocks!

I wonder if this research gives hints as to why rivalries are “fun”? Even when you know the in/out group distinction is silly, little aggressions like “boooo Cocks!” can tickle reward areas in the brain. Akin to how scary movies are fun even when you know you’re not in danger.

As a Gamecock fan, and a somewhat reasonable person (self described), I’ve been defending rivalries based on this exact case throughout this thread.

I completely agree with your speculation. It’s fun for me to even type: go fight win kick ass fuck Clemson. Ahhhh

Re: Harming the ‘outgroup’ linked to elevated activity in the brain reward circuitry

#110
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They themselves might have cared, but damn if I wear a purple shirt in Seattle folks are like Go Huskies to me, to the point where I think twice about putting it on or wearing it outside the house. I could give a damn about sports or nationalism, but lots of other idiots do.

> idiots Downvoted and reported, frankly. How can you do callously say something about this? You do realize sports fans are (for the most part) self aware of the inconsequence of a sports rivalry in the real world, right?

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