Dehumanizing means denying other human traits. In other words, dehumanizing means considering someone less human, usually dehumanization occurs in relation to the members of the group, that is, we consider that some people are less human simply because they belong to a certain group, the social class is one of those determinants of dehumanization.
Although there are several differences that can lead to the classification of people into groups, even today, one of the most important is social class, social class is a form of social stratification in which a group of individuals share a common characteristic that unies them. socially or economically.
- Thus.
- In general.
- At least two social classes can be differentiated: the rich and the poor.
- People.
- Regardless of the social class to which they belong.
- Can look at one of these two groups with dehumanization.
Dehumanizing means believing that someone is less human. However, there are different forms of dehumanization, in particular, we can highlight two ways: animalization and mechanization. According to Haslam’s double model (2006), there are two forms of dehumanization, which occur when we deny the typical traits of the human being. Depending on the trait we derhensamos or mechanized humans.
“Dehumanization, even if it is a concrete historical fact, is not a given destiny, but the result of an unjust order that involves the violence of the oppressors, which in turn dehumanizes the oppressed. ” – Paulo Freire-
Thus, on the one hand, animalization consists in denying traits that are exclusively human, which are those that distinguish human beings from animals, such as cognitive aptitude, education and civilization.
On the other hand, mechanization consists in denying the typical features of human nature, but not necessarily unique in comparing human beings with other animals, such as the ability to feel emotions and affection, in this way groups that have the characteristics that make them deny. humans are compared to animals, and those who are denied human nature are compared to lifeless objects, such as robots or automatons.
What is dehumanization for? It has three main functions: first, dehumanizing another group serves to justify violent actions and violence itself; when we consider members of a group to be less human, it is easier for us to think that we have rights over their members. The use of violence will be justified when they are not behaved as intended.
Second, dehumanization legitimizes the status quo with respect to social classes, some groups have more status than others that have less status, so if another group is dehumanized and therefore considered less human, it will also have less status. , our group will be superior to the other group that has been or is being dehumanized.
“It was so terrible that it was no longer terrible, it was simply dehumanized. “F. Scott Fitzgerald-
Third, dehumanization also affects morality, eliminating it, we all have moral values that govern our behavior, such as considering that killing is not the right thing to do, but these values only apply to humans.
In this way, if we do not consider a human person, it will be much easier to use violence against him, even if our values have theoretically prevented us from doing so. Think about what the Nazis used to call Jewish cockroaches.
Classism is understood as a set of attitudes, actions, beliefs and behaviors directed against a group of people by their membership in a particular social class or socioeconomic status, this can happen both in relation to the richest and poorest social classes. In other words, classism is the way to see the most vulnerable or the poorest. Thus, one consequence of classism may be dehumanization in relation to the social class, that is, to regard the less rich as the richest or the poorest.
In the case of the poor, they are often animated, the poor end up being seen as less human and more animal, some of the typical traits that deny them are civic education, the ability to rationalize and perfect. The poor are seen as animals, who do not have the ability to get out of this situation.
In the case of the rich, they are generally not animated. Unlike the poor, the rich are machined. It is not common to think that the rich have no education much less that they have no refinement, however, we can deny them emotional capacity and affection, in this way the rich are considered cold, without feelings, without empathy. words, they’re like machines.
On the whole, dehumanization according to the social class would seem that the rich are like machines and the poor as animals, in this way middle-class groups would maintain their status quo, the consequence is that the poor are treated with contempt, as animals, which would allow derogatory behavior towards this group. Similarly, the rich would be treated with some distance, with fear and respect, as they would be considered incapable of anything but pursuing and achieving their own goals.