The Use Of Hate Speech In Electioneering

There has been an alarming rise of hate speech in political discourses globally.

But what has been the reason for the lowering levels of dissemination and a rise of anti-intellectualism to boot?

Hate mongering is a low risk-high reward venture. It catapults otherwise obscure characters to the mainstream and boosts floundering political careers.

Purveyors of ill-will gain a larger-than-life image in the minds of the misinformed voter, being viewed as someone who can stand up to vested interests, unmindful of the consequences.

Whatever the motivations of the perpetrator the victims of these hateful comments suffer in silence. Weak-toothed laws against hate-mongering are rarely invoked.

The upshot is that with every disparaging remark, targeted groups feel more estranged, feeling a violation of their quest for recognition.

This is true in Bihar as much as in Bosnia. Normalizing vitriol as a legitimate tool of discourse is a worrying trend.