People hate people, it's what we do. So how to satisfy that innate human trait without anybody being negatively impacted?
Introducing "Those People". A group of actors who play the part of a people we can all agree to hate.
They're rude, they're stupid, they demand lots of attention, they litter, they wreck stuff, hardly a day goes by where "Those People" aren't in the news screwing something up. Major cities would have a group of 30 or 40 people engaging in daily activities designed to bring about love and unity by being horrible people that make everybody else look great by comparison.
Racially and culturally, they'd have to be something never seen before so they don't make any real group look bad. Maybe some kind of blue skin tone and they wear really expensive clothes and shout at people to get out of their way. You'd have to see one and have it be very clearly un- mistakable that it's one of "Those" people.
All races, creeds and colors would join together in hating these faux jerks. Peace and tranquility would reign and we could finally all get along.-- doctorremulac3, Oct 27 2019 Somewhat related on a much smaller scale Drama_20Fix [daseva, Oct 28 2019] You're one, aren't you? You look a bit like one.-- pocmloc, Oct 27 2019 There won't be enough embittered history backing the faux folks.-- wjt, Oct 27 2019 //You're one, aren't you? You look a bit like one.//
1/4 on my mom's side but I didn't think it showed.
By the way, not expecting a lot of love for this one but I was thinking it might be an interesting short story idea. CIA puts together some kind of test scenario in some ravaged third world area, like Los Angeles or San Francisco, to try to restore the peace.-- doctorremulac3, Oct 28 2019 OK, I'll just do it now.
"Those People" By Doctorremulac3
Once there was this city that was like, really fucked up 'n stuff, like with crime 'n shit, so these guys painted a bunch of people blue like for to do peace or whatever, because like racism right? So yea, then there were these blue people and they'd be all yelling and re-adjusting their junk on the bus in front of old ladies. So yea, worked pretty good. Oh wait! And people got like heeeellla pissed at them because they... um, they got like no time to be all fucked up to each other because of hatin' on these blue people see? Then it worked good after the people got all pissed.
The end... or is it?
Then there's a surprise ending like where a ten ton weight falls on his head or something. But it was all a dream. (except for the weight part)-- doctorremulac3, Oct 28 2019 Just drop a few unnerving facts, and the extraterrestrials can be the blue menace. No actors necessary, just scaremongering required.-- wjt, Oct 28 2019 // hating these faux jerks. //
Isn't this what politicians are for ?-- 8th of 7, Oct 28 2019 Isn't this just Eurasia, as per 1984?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 28 2019 Emannuel Goldstein would deny it; you'll have to check with the Ministry of Truth ...
The idea of "Someone for everyone to hate" is Baked, in a rather darker way, in John Brunner's short story "Badman"; and of course the Pythons came up with the (in)famous slogan "Something to offend everyone".-- 8th of 7, Oct 28 2019 // Isn't this what politicians are for // Sort of, but since they are in charge of running the government, it makes things rather messy.
One big problem I see with this idea is that no matter how horrible you try to make this group out to be, some real people would identify with them, adopt they customs/opinions/appearance...-- scad mientist, Oct 28 2019 random, halfbakery