- Raphael Musanyera
- Harare
- Zimbabwe
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Racism is "irrational," but it still exists! i'm confused... will the world ever be able to rid itself from the scourge of racism?
Can't we all get along? is it because some people are racist simply to gain advantage? Or is it plain prejudice? Or a cultural thing...? What in your opinion are the roots of racism?
Robert Winner 50+
All of the world has some sort of Caste system we just call it by another name.
Walk into a prison and you will find that they divide by race even though that is discouraged by administrators and law. There is always a common bond somewhere that will cause seperation and that encourages a prejudice.
When you change the terms from racism to prejudice it aligns things in a diffrerent light. Remember that prejudice is a two way street. I have seen it internal with groups and external from groups.
All the best. Bob
Obey No1kinobe 50+
From an evolutionary perspective there is probably a good reason to be weary of the different or other tribes.
We also have evolved to make snap intuitive assessments of people and situations.
Big guy I don't know with a stick wearing a hoodie - I go instinctually on alert.
We need to overrule these intuitive assumptions and instinctual tribalism with our reason.
We need to overcome this in our laws and the behaviour we accept.
Men want to have sex with women but we don't accept them giving in to their base instincts.
But don't forget racism and tribalism are fairly universal so even we personally manage these well, we need to be ready to be on the receiving end from others.
It is interesting if you hang around with people from other cultures or races you get to like them or dislike them based on the individual not the prejudice. Also we don't have to like everything about a race or a culture. Some cultures are more sexist or homophobic or intolerant than others. But judge the individual by their actions not by the broader society they come from.
Buchi Offodile
However, I think that the key to defeating racism also lies within the human psyche. We have to recognize it and then CHOOSE to act differently. To better understand what I mean, check out this article that I wrote: http://buchis-book.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-am-not-naive-individual-glorifying.html
Adam Cross
Racism still exists because it is a great way to divide. United we (Humanity, nationally, and culturally) are strong but if we are divided it makes us much easier to control and regulate.
IF you look through the pages of history you will find that any man/woman who reaches a plain of consciousness which spreads true equality to the masses (Jesus, Gandhi, Lennon, Martin Luther King Jr., Rene Descartes etc. for example) is killed. These "saints" never die a natural death, why?
Raphael Musanyera
Colleen Steen 500+
What happens when/if an individual or group of people do NOT dominate others? What is the underlying fear? Others will dominate them.
If we humans are secure in ourselves, we may see the interconnectedness of the whole. In which case, no one would feel a need to dominate the other. What a wonderful world it would be!
Raphael Musanyera
Adam Cross
Colleen Steen 500+
Is lack of security another point? Or is it one and the same point? If we lack security in ourselves, it is more likely that we will fear others....yes?
We are all like mirrors to each other reflecting information back and forth. If we are secure, we reflect security, which may give others the ability to be secure as well. If we project insecurity, it projects fear in ourselves AND others...make any sense?
In my perception, those who cannot accept and respect differences in others, or think they are better than others, are simply projecting their own insecurity. If people discovered that about themselves, I believe there would be no more racism. When/if people discover that we are more the same than different, we may all be more secure in ourselves, with others, and in the life experience:>)
Luke Monahan
What I mean is that a statistically significant proportion of people from a certain grouping whether it's nationality, race, gender or whet ever else may have certain culturally taught behavioral traits.
As an individual it is in your best interest not to ignore those trends.
There certainly are instances of racism which exist in the world and I have heard some pretty damning statistics about the American justice system's treatment of African Americans but I also think that it's important to recognise the difference between a cultural observation and a racial prejudice.
Raphael Musanyera
Luke Monahan
Stigmatising racism to the point where people are condemned even for making a cultural observation is unfortunate in the sense that innocent people are targeted and in the sense that positive social measures may never be put in place but it's also positive in the sense that it supresses racism itself that much more effectively.
Perhaps society is where it needs to be but as an individual, for my own sake, I prefer to deal with reality and truth as much as I can.
Colleen Steen 500+
You say..."... it's important to recognise the difference between a cultural observation and a racial prejudice". Good point!
My observation is that an "observation" does not harm people. "Racial predudice" often does.
"Behavioral traits" that harm people are not usefull.
Luke,
Your comment sounds to me, like you are justifying racism.
Luke Monahan
Take education/intelligence for example. If someone says that they believe Africans Americans are less intelligent than other races, their choice to use the word intelligence indicates that they are probably being racist.
If someone said that they have noticed that African Americans in their area aren't as well educated as other races, they probably mean that they do not have the same opportunities to do well at school perhaps for socio-economical or domestic reasons. They aren't suggesting a causal link between race and education level, they are suggesting a correlative link. This kind of observation is useful and helpful because it allows society to recognise problems and help groups of people when it's needed.
The first is racism and the second is a cultural observation and in this case you can tell them apart by the language used but I don't think it's always as easy to tell the difference and I don't think people are always as conscious of the wording they use as perhaps they should be. Someone who uses the word intelligence might be making a cultural observation but expressing themselves in an unfortunate way. Someone who uses the word education might be making a racial observation but trying to sound otherwise.
It boils down to what the person believes. If the person believes that the group behaves in a certain way because they are genetically predisposed then they are being racist. If the person believes that the group behaves in a certain way because they have been taught to culturally then they are not being racist.
I do believe people in society have become so racially sensitive that sometimes they cannot even tell the difference between the two anymore.
Colleen Steen 500+
That's why it's important to be aware of the words we use and the message we want to project.
If we want to project the idea that some people do not have the same opportunities...that's what we say!
Glad to hear you are not trying to justify racism. Still sounds like you are though.
People can learn to say what they mean, and mean what they say without prejudice.
Luke Monahan
If you are listening to what somone has to say, I think it's also important to be open minded about it and try not to jump to negative conclusions. If someone tells me that they believe Chinese people are impatient or rude, it would be easy for me to assume that they are being hateful and racist and I'd probably be right in an example like that but even then I would try to give them the benefit of doubt and suggest that if sometimes they do behave that way, it's probably because they have a different culture or upbringing and what may seem impatient or rude to that person is normal to them and see where the conversation goes from there but...
As I said with Raphael, perhaps it is as sensetive an issue for good reason and perhaps it is best for it to remain this way for the sake of discouraging racism in general.
Colleen Steen 500+
Listening, being open minded and not jumping to conclusions is important.
I don't understand why you need to use particular ethnic groups in your examples, as you did in your previous comment ("African Americans"), and in the comment above ("Chinese people").
There are people of all ethnic backgrounds, including my own, who are not well educated, impatient and rude.
You say you would "suggest that if sometimes they do behave that way, it's probably because they have a different culture or upbringing and what may seem impatient or rude to that person is normal to them....."
I might say..."there are people of all ethnic backgrounds that are not well educated, impatient and rude".
In my perception, we are all more the same than different, and it is the differences that are the gifts we may give to each other, IF, as you say, we are listening with an open mind and heart:>)
Remaining the way it is, "sensetive" in your perception, has NOT discouraged racism. We cannot do what we have always done, and expect different results.
Luke Monahan
This is an unfortunate subject because any example I present can be misinterpreted as a presentation of my own prejudiced belief. I am willing to accept that risk if the potential benefit is a more thoughtful and indepth discussion.
I agree with you that it's actually more likely that someones rude or impatient behaviour is an expression of their individuality rather than an expression of even their culture or upbringing.
There are some massive double standards with racism which exist in society right now and there are some pretty irrational things happening. Below is a link to an example from some number of years ago.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7475737
As much as there is a problem of racism to be combatted there is also a problem with the perception of what racism even is.
Colleen Steen 500+
Using specific examples, as you have, of certain ethnic groups who you believe to be less intelligent, impatient or rude, serves no useful purpose other than to reinforce prejudice. It continues to seperate people, rather than unite people, and this DOES NOT help to consider a subject more deeply. It simply serves to seperate people.
You say you use them as a "conversational tool". What do you hope to gain from the conversastions in which you use these examples? To me, these examples are dismissive and condescending to the entire group you use as examples. How much "depth" can you achieve with dismissive, untrue comments?
I am aware of many very irrational things happening in our world Luke, so let's turn that around by discontinuing labeling and catagorizing people according to ethnic background:>)
I agree with you...there is a challenge really knowing or understanding racism.
Luke Monahan
It is truely unfortunate that examples of stereotypical racist opinions cannot be given in a discussion without being labeled as a racist.
It is not my fault that you cannot distinguish between an example and a declaration of belief.
If I gave a hypothetical scenario of a rapist or a murderer, would you assume I was one of those as well?
If there was ever any need for an example of irrational over-sensitivity, you have just provided it.
Colleen Steen 500+
If you do not believe what you wrote, why did you write it?
You write above..."It is truely unfortunate that examples of stereotypical racist opinions cannot be given in a discussion without being labeled as a racist.
First of all, I did not label you anything...you labeled yourself.
Secondly, what might you expect when you use "stereotypical racist opinions"???
Those are your words Luke...not mine!
Thank you for the feedback Luke. I don't believe we can EVER be "over-sensitive" about anything. It is time in our world to be sensitive, and use words that reflect that sensitivity.
Luke Monahan
"IF someone says x then y"
and
"I believe x is true"
My comments were an expression of the former, not the latter. There was no declaration of belief to even be misinterpreted. I cannot comprehend how we have even come to this point and I do not believe that there is anything to be gained from further discussion here.
Colleen Steen 500+
I also wholeheartedly agree again with your statement above...
"As much as there is a problem of racism to be combatted there is also a problem with the perception of what racism even is". Well said Luke.
Luke Monahan
Colleen Steen 500+
You KNOW I have NOT edited one thing during our discussion, nor after you ended it.
Are you editing yours? Perhaps you are reconsidering some of your comments?
That might be a good thing:>)
Luke Monahan
I confused one of your posts for another, I was wrong, you did not edit your posts and I am sorry I made the accusation.
Colleen Steen 500+
Feyisayo Anjorin 50+
Racism, like all other sins, will remain in the world as it is now. We tolerate some things because they are convinient; the power of choice could become a curse if we make the wrong choices. But we usually hope that once for our sake the laws of God will change and we will escape the fruits of our hatred.
There will be racism as long as humans have the freedom to choose good or bad. Those who choose to be selfish,arrogant and intolerant will have a reason to support their view. Love is not for the lazy.
Racism is irrational; and how is that for humanity and science that prides itself in being rational.
Heather White 10+
I'm reading a wonderful e-book called "India's Unending Journey" by Mark Tully, the BBCs former foreign correspondent in India. He has a lot of interesting views you may find interesting.
Gerald O'brian 50+
That is because morals are not derived from science.
edward long 100+
Racism is generalization in action. For example: someone says, "All blacks are good athletes." That is not true and it is irrational, but children grow up hearing it.
Also, misinformation is key to racism. For example: most of the players on the court for any given NBA game are black. That is taken as scientific proof of what is actually an irrational generalization.
The root of racism is careless, unclear thinking.
Raphael Musanyera
edward long 100+