Quote Originally Posted by BG
Is interaction and dialogue the sole solution, or does one have to dig deeper into one's soul?
A bit of both, IMHO. I think a certain amount of distrust of the 'other' is a natural by-product of us (ie humans) being social animals. Being social means identifying with a group, however subliminally. Where there is an in-group, there is an out-group. It may be people of different skin colour, different beliefs, or those who just live at the wrong end of the street. As with any instinctive behaviour it is not rational, and a bit of self-awareness and a willingness to examine one's irrational feelings (both of which you exhibit in spades, BTW ) are all to the good. It's where such feelings are mixed with resentment and unthinkingly turned into an ethos that the real problems begin. But dialogue and interaction are keys to expanding the boundaries of the "in-group", and goes hand in hand with the realisation that people are individuals and represent themselves more than any group they may happen to belong to. "I treat as I find" is a good rule of thumb.

Now my "working" day is over and I must cut and run, sorry...