Who is Deserving?
This week, the Ingram & Schneider (2005) article really resonated with me, and felt especially relevant in our current political climate. While there have long been division among people for various religious, moral, and political differences, the "us vs. them" mentality seems stronger than every these past few years. The divisions also seemed to be fueled by the same mechanisms that are currently bringing people together, such as widespread internet usage and virtual mobilization. The "deservedness" discussed in the 2005 article refers mostly to who is and is not perceived to be deserving of good, positive things. But it also made me think of the way violence is justified against members of marginalized populations - the 17-year-old who shot and killed two people is justified in doing so because the protesters "attacked" him - they were deserving of death, and he is deserving of mercy. Ingram and Schneider (2005) also mention the tendency for group...