Fear of USA

Islamophobia & transphobia are a couple of fears one reads about regularly these days. So I ask why can’t someone also fear the USA. I didn’t even know there is a phobia to deal with that also. Amerikanophobia is a new term for me. Is fear associated with hate? Hate crime?

https://fearof.org/amerikanophobia/

If I protest against the USA am I committing a hate crime?

Am I suffering from just a common anxiety disorder?

Excerpt:

Quote: generally speaking, places phobias and fears such as Amerikanophobia fall under the category of anxiety disorders.

If all phobias are anxiety disorders then why are some considered hateful?

(Dec 27, 2023 04:48 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: Islamophobia & transphobia are a couple of fears one reads about regularly these days. So I ask why can’t someone also fear the USA. I didn’t even know there is a phobia to deal with that also. Amerikanophobia is a new term for me.

I'm Afraid of Americans (David Bowie)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Afraid_of_Americans

The music video (1997): https://youtu.be/LT3cERVRoQo

Quote:Is fear associated with hate? Hate crime?

https://fearof.org/amerikanophobia/

If I protest against the USA am I committing a hate crime?

Am I suffering from just a common anxiety disorder?

Excerpt:

Quote: generally speaking, places phobias and fears such as Amerikanophobia fall under the category of anxiety disorders.

If all phobias are anxiety disorders then why are some considered hateful?

If a particular person is deemed part of a privileged population group that is infamous for exercising systemic oppression, then a public instance of the "anxiety disorder" may be judged bigotry.

Similarly, if a powerful country is associated with domineering influence (which includes colonialism and imperialism of the past), then outrage or enmity toward it may be excused. Especially if one is deemed a member of a "downtrodden" ranked nation-state of the international world (either now or in the "recent" past). As long as the thought orientation is purely vocal or physically passive. Iranian crowd chanting: "Death to America!", but basically an impotent slogan or custom.

Apparently, according to that website, there's a fear of every individual state in the union: https://fearof.org/?s=ameri
Their entries read like a generic phobia wiki populated with specific names. Doesn't look at all legit or rigorous.

And considering all the riots, crime, looting, or apologetics of the same, it seems like there is very little fear and a lot of disdain or hate.
It doesn't even seem to have a cause as comprehensible as a phobia. Which leads me to believe it's mostly the constant propaganda.

(Dec 27, 2023 09:08 PM)Syne Wrote: Apparently, according to that website, there's a fear of every individual state in the union: https://fearof.org/?s=ameri
Their entries read like a generic phobia wiki populated with specific names. Doesn't look at all legit or rigorous.

And considering all the riots, crime, looting, or apologetics of the same, it seems like there is very little fear and a lot of disdain or hate.
It doesn't even seem to have a cause as comprehensible as a phobia. Which leads me to believe it's mostly the constant propaganda.

Wonder what the fear of a black, Islamic, trans woman, from Florida USA is called? Florida getting a lot of attention in that list of American state phobias. Anyway I look at the USA everyday, New York State Phobia? I guess I should be fearful of American landing craft hitting the shores of Canada’s side of the Niagara River. Why Maine phobia and not Vermont phobia?

Still for some groups, fear of them translates into hate. No consistency with that label. Should we hate what we fear or vice versa? When did phobias become hate?

The bottom line is that phobias (etc) are a cash-cow for counselors and soft sciences practitioners. The more conditions that are discerned or invented, the better for job security in that sector.

And "anxiety orders" that get organized into "clubs" and movements have clearly crossed the threshold into "hate" (anti-Semitism, etc); and accordingly are a boon to soapbox stumping politicians on potentially both sides of the aisle.

Used as a pejorative, "__phobe" is a complete misnomer. They use it to denote hate, but they also like the weakness that fear implies.
IOW, homophobe, Islamophobe, etc. are just run of the mill insults typical of mud slinging political propaganda. They are easy ways for dumb and lazy people to imply immorality and weak while avoiding the fact that they are literally just ad hominems.

(Dec 28, 2023 01:50 AM)Syne Wrote: Used as a pejorative, "__phobe" is a complete misnomer. They use it to denote hate, but they also like the weakness that fear implies.
IOW, homophobe, Islamophobe, etc. are just run of the mill insults typical of mud slinging political propaganda. They are easy ways for dumb and lazy people to imply immorality and weak while avoiding the fact that they are literally just ad hominems.

You mean dumb & lazy university students or election candidates*?

* https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discu...rder-real/

As I dip deeper into mental stress disorders I’m starting to think there isn’t a person in the world without an anxiety, then add to that the ease to which a (convenient) phobia can be generated or made up. I’m sure they’re real for some folks but for some it’s a tool.

If you suffer from homophobia here's some really useful advice -

Dr. Bright Wrote:If it's causing impairment, if it's causing clinical depression and sadness, and tearfulness, and certainly feelings of hopelessness or helplessness that evolve into actual feelings of despair or even suicidal thoughts, certainly, at that point, it's time to seek out professional help

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discu...rder-real/

This ^^ is much better than putting your big boots on, finding like-minded scum of the Earth and going looking for people to beat up.

Oh, I bet the politicians know what they're doing... using the useful idiots to parrot their propaganda.

Is gay-bashing prevalent in the UK? I haven't heard of a single instance in the US for decades. All the ones that hit the news turn out to be hoaxes, just like much of the racism that hits the news.

(Dec 29, 2023 12:11 AM)Syne Wrote: Oh, I bet the politicians know what they're doing... using the useful idiots to parrot their propaganda.

Is gay-bashing prevalent in the UK? I haven't heard of a single instance in the US for decades. All the ones that hit the news turn out to be hoaxes, just like much of the racism that hits the news.

Certainly gay-bashing in the UK doesn't seem to be anything like as popular as it was back in the 60s and 70s.

From: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-66522939

Quote:Home Office figures for the year ending March 2022 show that sexual orientation hate crimes in England and Wales increased by 41%, representing the largest percentage annual increase in these offences since current records began in the year ending March 2012.

Transgender identity hate crimes also rose significantly, by 56% to 4,355, the data shows.

The Home Office said the overall rise could be due to better recording by police, as well as fewer cases having been recorded under Covid restrictions in 2020-21.

More details https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-66522939

In reality the violent homophobes of the past can probably (more easily) get the same thrills by watching gay porn on the internet. The people haven't changed but the technology has.

The arachnophobe doesn't have to worry about turning out to be a spider - for the homophobe the fear must be ever present.