But it is not the natural state of human nature to be xenophobic or prejudiced, in my experience. When I was very young I grew up in one of the most multicultural areas imaginable in the UK. So much so that I actually believed that the Punjab was a suburb of Derby for a while :huh:
The thing is, it's not that I thought about it, recognised the differences between me and those of other races, and then decided it wasn't a problem. It's that it never even occurred to me for a split second that they were different to myself. Ethnicity was just one thing that ranked in significance alongside ear size or handspan or something like that.
Now there is so much artificial social and cultural baggage that is foisted upon kids as soon as they are able to read that the concept of racial or ethnic difference is inescapable. Regardless of how you view those differences, you are always conscious that there is difference. But to suggest that this is down to a natural inclination amongst humans is wrong, IMO. More it is the consequence of flaws in the environment in whch we are brought up.
But anyway, it is still bollocks to suggest that this translates into xenophobia in all cases.