Brahmanism

It is a sociopolitical ideology that encodes a memory of an ideal past and a vision of society in the future, one in which brahmins occupy the highest place not only as exclusive guardians of a higher, spiritual realm but also as sole providers of wisdom on virtually every practical issue of this world. They possess superior knowledge of what a well-ordered society is and how a good state must be run. More importantly, their superior position in society and their superior knowledge stems from birth. This makes them naturally, intrinsically superior to all other humans, so superior that they form a separate species (jati) altogether. Nothing can challenge or alter this fact. No one becomes a brahmin, but is born so.

While brahmins are used as examples to illustrate brahminism, the ideology can be imbibed by anyone, and is typically followed in a graded hierarchy in the caste system.

Beliefs

There are various beliefs held in brahmanism. The predominant aspect of these seem to be a hierarchy based on caste. For example:

• Brahmins are more skilled, knowledgeable, intelligent, moral or strong.
• Brahmins are more pure, honorable, desirable, or great.

Different people use different arguments to justify these beliefs:

• Karma in past births (contingent on belief in re-birth)
• Scriptures
• Genetics
• Lifestyle

Modernization has forced brahminists to move away from scripture based explanations to pseudo-scientific explanations like lifestyle. For example:

• Brahmins are superior because they eat plant based diet which has superior qualities.
• Brahmins are superior because they practice rituals like poojas, prayers, etc that give them powers.

Symptoms

Regardless of beliefs, socialization in brahminism leads to certain symptoms that are typically associated with brahminism or casteism. These include:

• Discrimination against those lower in the hierarchy.
• Exclusion of those lower in the hierarchy from opportunities, favoritism towards those higher in the hierarchy.
• Stereotyping what people in different grades of the hierarchy should look like, speak like, and is capable of.
• Disproportionate focus on appearance, language (fluency, articulation, grammar, pronunciation, tone, etc), background.
• Disproportionate importance given to traditional educational qualifications, codified/technically worded knowledge, and illegitimation of other forms of knowledge.
• Fetishization of those lower in the hierarchy, tokenistic representation, insults disguised as complements, gracefully putting down.
• Use of procedure, standards, and formalities to exclude those lower in hierarchy.
• Self-victimization, especially when accused of brahmanism.
• Centering, taking up too much space and attention on oneself and one's feelings.

Causes

There are plenty of factors contributing to the continued existence of brahmanism.

• Religion or lack of rationality/modernization
• Scriptures and authorities that use scriptures
• Opportunistic politics
• Cognitive biases and logical fallacies
• Capitalism
• Patriarchy