Demonization is the characterization of individuals, groups, or political bodies as evil or subhuman for purposes of justifying and making plausible an attack, whether in the form of character assassination, legal action, circumscribing of political liberties, or warfare. Characterization is the process of creating characters in fiction, often those who are different from and have different beliefs than the author. ... In religion and ethics, evil refers to the morally objectionable aspects of the behaviour and reasoning of human beings — those which are deliberately void of conscience, and show a wanton penchant for destruction. ... The term subhuman can refer to several concepts: Humanoid, any being whose body structure resembles that of a human Last Man, the antithesis to the Übermensch in Nietzschean philosophy Slave, a person who is under the control of another Subhumans, a UK punk rock band The Subhumans, a Canadian punk... Character assassination is the process of harming a persons reputation enough to cause rejection of that person from their community. ...

Background

The purpose of demonization is to facilitate oppressive actions against the demonized individual or group, ranging from ostracism to genocide. A common practice in early Judaism was the demonization of rival deities. This would later transfer to Christianity and cause untold suffering for innumerable pagans. Classic examples of this kind of religious demonization include Baphomet (thought by some to be a corruption of Mohammad) and Beelzebub. This practice was the driving force behind such atrocities as the Spanish inquisition and the betrayal of the Knights Templar. Conversely, Jews have historically been the subject of demonization, arguably more often than any other group. Ostracism (Greek ostrakismos) was a procedure under the Athenian democracy in which a prominent citizen could be expelled from the city-state of Athens for ten years. ... Look up Genocide in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... This list of deities aims at giving information about deities in the different religions, cultures and mythologies of the world. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Pagans may mean: Paganism, a belief in natural religion. ... Baphomet, by Eliphas Lévi. ... For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ... Beelzebub as depicted in Collin de Plancys Dictionnaire Infernal (Paris, 1863). ... An atrocity (from the Latin atrox, atrocious, from Latin ater = matte black (as distinct from niger = shiny black)) is a term used to describe crimes ranging from an act committed against a single person to one committed against a population or ethnic group. ... The Spanish Inquisition was established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms and was under the direct control of the Spanish monarchy. ... This article is about the medieval military order. ...

Demonizing an individual, group or culture generally involves a suspension of the normal considerations of humane behaviour and respect. Given that the subjects of demonization are portrayed as evil and/or subhuman beyond any dispute, then any means of self-defense is considered legitimate, in proportion to the threat represented. In United States history, a note-worthy example of demonization is to be found in the attitudes and practices of White people - and others - towards Black people in the period 1619-1965, epitomized in the widespread practice of lynching. Postcard depicting the lynching of Lige Daniels, Center, Texas, August 3, 1920. ...

One purpose of the demonization of individuals - as opposed to groups - is to divert attention from their arguments, and discredit them personally by ad hominem attacks. Alleging that they are fascists, Communists, racists, religious fanatics or some other despised category of individuals is particularly effective not only in undermining individuals with controversial views, but in isolating them from public support. It has been suggested that Personal attack be merged into this article or section. ... Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, refers to the right-wing authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... This article is about communism as a form of society, as an ideology advocating that form of society, and as a popular movement. ... An African-American drinks out of a water fountain marked for colored in 1939 at a street car terminal in Oklahoma City. ... Religious is a term with both a technical definition and folk use. ... For an alternate meaning, see Fan (implement). ...

Demonizing Youth

Scholars including Margaret Mead, Henry Giroux and Mike Males have examined a range of ways mass media and the education system demonize youth. This demonization is said to lead to ephebiphobia and adultism, and may serve to reinforce gerontocracy, as well. Margaret Mead Margaret Mead (December 16, 1901, Philadelphia – November 15, 1978, New York City) was an American cultural anthropologist. ... Henry Giroux, born September 18, 1943, is a US cultural critic. ... Mike A. Males (born 1950) is an American sociologist who teaches at UC Santa Cruz. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills, and also something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge, good judgement and wisdom. ... Ephebiphobia (from Greek ephebos έφηβος = teenager, underage adolescent and fobos φόβος = fear, phobia), also known as hebephobia (from Greek hebe = youth), denotes both the irrational fear of teenagers or of adolescence, and the prejudice against teenagers or underage adolescents. ... Manifestations Slavery · Racial profiling · Lynching Hate speech · Hate crime · Hate groups Genocide · Holocaust · Pogrom Ethnocide · Ethnic cleansing · Race war Religious persecution · Gay bashing Movements Discriminatory Aryanism · Neo-Nazism · Supremacism Fundamentalism · Kahanism Anti-discriminatory Abolitionism · Civil rights · Gay rights Womens/Universal suffrage · Mens rights Childrens rights · Youth rights... A gerontocracy is a form of oligarchical rule in which an entity is ruled by a small clique of leaders, in which the oldest hold the most power. ...

Demonizing Religon

Many religions, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have been demonized, both by elements within their religons and outside. At the extreme, demonizing religion has led to religious violence and wars. Anti-semitism led to the Holocaust. Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... Concentration camp inmates during the Holocaust The Holocaust was Nazi Germanys systematic genocide (ethnic cleansing) of various ethnic, religious, national, and secular groups during World War II. Early elements include the Kristallnacht pogrom and the T-4 Euthanasia Program established by Hitler that killed some 200,000 people. ...

Many pagans and gnostics, as well as indigenous people around the world identify demonization as the historical basis for the oppression of their spiritual beliefs, as well. Pagans may mean: Paganism, a belief in natural religion. ... Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. General characteristics The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνῶσις), referring to the idea that there is special, hidden mysticism (esoteric knowledge... Indigenous peoples are: Peoples living in an area prior to colonization by a state Peoples living in an area within a nation-state, prior to the formation of a nation-state, but who do not identify with the dominant nation. ... Oppression is the negative outcome experienced by people targeted by the cruel exercise of power in a society or social group. ...

In certain moral panics, nonexistent evil religious practices such as Satanic ritual abuse and host desecration have been invented as a form of scapegoating. A moral panic is a reaction by a group of people based on the false or exaggerated perception that some cultural behavior or group, frequently a minority group or a subculture, is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society. ... Satanism Associated organizations Church of Satan First Satanic Church Prominent figures Anton LaVey | Blanche Barton | Peter H. Gilmore | Peggy Nadramia | Karla LaVey Associated concepts Left-Hand Path | Pentagonal Revisionism | Suitheism | Survival of the fittest | Objectivism | Might Is Right Books and publications The Satanic Bible | The Satanic Rituals | The Satanic Witch... Host desecration is a form of sacrilege in Christianity, involving the mistreatment or malicious use of a consecrated Host, or communion wafer. ...

Demonizing Culture

• Viet Cong
• Internment Camps

A Viet Cong soldier, heavily guarded, awaits interrogation following capture in the attacks on Saigon during the festive Tet holiday period of 1968. ... The word internment is generally used to refer to the imprisonment or confinement of people, generally in prison camps or prisons, without due process of law and a trial. ...

Demonization in Politics

Politically, leaders have utilized demonization as a means of generating support for actions and movements. The demonization is often achieved through various forms of propaganda.

Since the beginning of American history, the US Government and its agents have demonized various people or groups they saw as “dangerous” or in the way of the greater good. Native Americans were the first groups to be demonized. They were said to be savages and ungodly, portrayed as blood thirsty killers who were to be feared by anyone who came across them. This portrayal made it easier for the government to implement policies that murdered or displaced hundreds of thousands of Native Americans.

See also

• Dissociation and depersonalization
• Theory of the two demons
• Demons
• Nonperson and unperson
• Racism
• Adultism
• Ephebiphobia
• Left-handed issues