When it comes to both social stigma and social exclusion - which are widespread social issues in today's society affecting millions of people - there is a popular notion that attitudes which lead to stigma, prejudice and discrimination need to be challenged. However we have gone through decades of talk about human rights, about equality and diversity, and so on. We still have racism, we still have sexism, homophobia still exists, as does transphobia, ableism, ageisms, and all kinds of other '-isms' which we will get to in due course.
So what gives?
What makes social stigma and social exclusion possible?
The simple answer is the notion or illusion of separateness. By separateness here we're referring to the notion of separateness between self and environment, and self and other. You see the basis of stigma and exclusion is being able to separate everyone into simplistic broad brush 'us v. them' categories. This is me, this is you, this is us, this is them. This would not be possible if you didn't believe that *you*, whoever you believe yourself to be, is not separate from your environment and from other people.
But the truth is that there is no separateness at all. It's only language that causes you to believe that there is such a thing as separateness.
Let's examine this to understand what you need to deny in order to believe in separateness.
You cannot exist without being relative to an environment. Would you exist if there was no planet to exist on, or no universe to exist in? How long do you think you can live without breathing air? Or having access to clean water? How long do you think you could survive without eating food? How would you move around if there was no ground or floor for you to walk on? You are always relative to your environment. Can you live under water? Are you able to fly naturally through the air? Is there life on any other planet you know of? Do human beings exist anywhere other than Planet Earth? So how can you be separate from your environment?
You cannot exist without being relative to other people. When you're walking down the street, do you see things which nobody else can see? Do you hear things which nobody else can hear? Do you speak a language that nobody else understands? Have you ever gone through an experience in life which other people haven't gone through. Do you not have arms and legs and a head just like other people? Can you not see that who you are is relative to who other people are? Can you also not see that who other people are is relative to who you are as an individual human being?
Separateness only exists on the basis of your assumptions
This is something you won't be able to remember, but separateness and thinking "This is me" and "This is not me" is one of the first assumptions you ever made in life. You might have fallen over and hurt yourself, you might have fallen off the bed. You might have burned your hand on a hot object such as a radiator. But separateness is your assumption which was never corrected because it forms the basis of your Ego and your image or perception of who you are as an individual human being.
This is where we need to get into social and mental conditioning, the Ego and the process of socialization which we are all put through in life.