Racism

[Packgoater]

Oh okay, so at least I'm a crazily-conservative person who tries to cram opinions down people's throats while sounding intelligent hehe. (jk. I try to not do so much of the cramming.)

Yes. I find you quite enjoyable to talk to, actually. You sound intelligent and you don't force your opinions on me. And most of the time I've noticed you're actually on the same side of an issue as me, the crazy super-liberal.

Edited October 17, 2011 by Packgoater

[Ilera]

I dunno why we're all jumping down that guy's throat because he said everyone was a little bit racist.

 

Remember that huge post I did about humans and groups that nobody addressed? That's basically what I meant. Very few people can totally escape group mentality. I deeply suspect people who claim to be 'word citizens' or 'race blind' or otherwise indifferent to groups are full of it. Perhaps some people might be to some groups, but for the love of god, are we all so high and mighty on our golden thrones of enlightenment that we can't acknowledge our innate imperfection as a species?

 

And yeah, yeah, you'll all claim how not-racist you are, because we're all very liberal and correct and progressive here, but it's time to own up to our evolutionary heritage, folks. We're hardwired to be racist, because we're hardwired to belong to groups.

 

Also, to those who say that racism is worse than murder/rape/torture/genocide/etc?

 

I think there is a misunderstanding of scale there, not to mention an egregious mistake in assignment of blame.

 

People who go out and lynch a black man because he is black have an awful lot more wrong with them than just hating black people. They are cruel and vicious and knocked in the head, and happened to express these traits by aiming them at someone in a different group from them.

 

If these people had no problems with black people, or any other race, they would find some other poor sod to lynch.

 

Because horrible people are horrible people. Some express it with racism. Others don't. But we're all just a little bit racist. Because that's how we evolved.

 

(I might as well apologize for my comments about Americans and racism. I consider myself American too, but god knows after only a short while of living in a very liberal county, I have had it up to here with being talked at about how terrible racism is. (While, I might add, being the target of it myself, when I hadn't ever been before.) We all know that racism is bad, folks. Can't we say something more interesting about it?)

[philpot123]

And yeah, yeah, you'll all claim how not-racist you are, because we're all very liberal and correct and progressive here, but it's time to own up to our evolutionary heritage, folks. We're hardwired to be racist, because we're hardwired to belong to groups.

Excuse me, conservative and politically incorrect person here. Thanks for making assumptions about me

 

 

 

 

[Ilera]

Excuse me, conservative and politically incorrect person here. Thanks for making assumptions about me

And I'm politically incorrect just to spite liberals. I was just being facetious

 

Man, is the only reply I'm ever going to get complaining about whatever 'generalization' I halfjokingly made.

[LuckyFreckle]

I dunno why we're all jumping down that guy's throat because he said everyone was a little bit racist.

 

Remember that huge post I did about humans and groups that nobody addressed? That's basically what I meant. Very few people can totally escape group mentality. I deeply suspect people who claim to be 'word citizens' or 'race blind' or otherwise indifferent to groups are full of it. Perhaps some people might be to some groups, but for the love of god, are we all so high and mighty on our golden thrones of enlightenment that we can't acknowledge our innate imperfection as a species?

 

And yeah, yeah, you'll all claim how not-racist you are, because we're all very liberal and correct and progressive here, but it's time to own up to our evolutionary heritage, folks. We're hardwired to be racist, because we're hardwired to belong to groups.

 

Also, to those who say that racism is worse than murder/rape/torture/genocide/etc?

 

I think there is a misunderstanding of scale there, not to mention an egregious mistake in assignment of blame.

 

People who go out and lynch a black man because he is black have an awful lot more wrong with them than just hating black people. They are cruel and vicious and knocked in the head, and happened to express these traits by aiming them at someone in a different group from them.

 

If these people had no problems with black people, or any other race, they would find some other poor sod to lynch.

 

Because horrible people are horrible people. Some express it with racism. Others don't. But we're all just a little bit racist. Because that's how we evolved.

 

(I might as well apologize for my comments about Americans and racism. I consider myself American too, but god knows after only a short while of living in a very liberal county, I have had it up to here with being talked at about how terrible racism is. (While, I might add, being the target of it myself, when I hadn't ever been before.) We all know that racism is bad, folks. Can't we say something more interesting about it?)

I didn't address it because I spoke my piece, and because I have no interest in getting into an argument on Drag Cave of all places.

 

I am not racist. That's the bottom line. Racism to to believe that one race is superior over another. Sorry, I don't believe that I'm superior over a black person, and I don't think that a black person is superior over me. I don't think the white race is better, and I don't think the black race is better. I don't hate any races that are not white. If I did any of that, then that would constitute me being a racist.

 

And to agree with other posters, if I were walking close to a pair of individuals, men or women, who were acting suspiciously, I'd be suspicious and wary, no matter their race or sex, because their body language clues me in and raises red flags. If someone was yelling in my face, my natural instinct would be to back away because of their body language, not their race. There are other factors out there to make someone suspicious, not only racism.

 

In my opinion, there is something worse than racism, and that's ignorance, which leads to those forms of thinking. Whether it's a rich kid in high school thinking they are superior to the lowly poor kid, or whether it's a white person who feels that the black race is inferior. Ignorance causes those ways of thinking, and causes the hate that is in the world today. Will it ever disappear? Sadly, never.

 

But like I was raised, and like my kids will be raised, they will know and understand that we are all equal, no matter how different we are. Different skin color, different religion, different financial status, and different reproductive organs, we still have brains, we still have hearts, and we still have human genes. That holds more importance over everything than what we look like on the outside. That is not an impossible way of thinking.

 

You have your feelings over the situation, and I don't hold judgment over you for that. Respect that I also have my own feelings over it, and would appreciate not being judged. I'm an American, I can't help where I was born, but I can help what I learn and understand, and how I live my life as a person. That is the most important of all.

 

And all of that being said, those are my final thoughts on this subject.

Edited October 17, 2011 by xXAngelicEvilXx

[pinkgothic]

Unrelated to the current conversation:

 

The other day I was wondering whether (in regards to psychology) racism (and prejudice in general, really) might also stem from mankind's fantastic memory for negative events over positive events, coupled with our innate desire for abstraction:

 

Assuming someone did something to you that you didn't like (the negative event), you'd remember them, and you'd probably file them away under whatever trait of theirs was most obvious (abstraction). If they're part of an underrepresented race in your area, that could be their 'label' in your memories ("that black guy I know"), simply because it's such a visible and obvious trait. And then, without actually meaning to, you'd end up associating trait<->negative event subconsciously?

 

...yeeeeah, I have no idea if that's a reasonable supplementary theory as to the basis of racism. :/ It just popped into my head and sounded like it might work. (Or not work, as it were.)

Edited October 17, 2011 by pinkgothic

[Lila]

Also unrelated to current conversation:

 

If I share interests with someone, and we're at the same intellect level, then I'm perfectly fine with being friends, regardless of their race. At the same time, I still feel uncomfortable around the large group of Asians that my boyfriend plays tennis with. Not because they're Asian -- it's because of my own personal insecurities. I have nothing against Asians, and I can totally deal with two or three. But I get really, really quiet around any large group of people that has one common visible characteristic because I'm different. It's something I need to get over, but I hate sticking out

 

Also, just because I am not attracted to African Americans does not make me racist. In fact there are several black people I find extremely gorgeous, but I just don't feel attracted to them. It's personal taste, honestly, but I don't have a hard and fast rule about dating people of other races. If I am attracted to them and they make me happy, then their heritage is nbd. Honestly, I get called racist for the stupidest things.

[Packgoater]

I dunno why we're all jumping down that guy's throat because he said everyone was a little bit racist.

 

Remember that huge post I did about humans and groups that nobody addressed? That's basically what I meant. Very few people can totally escape group mentality. I deeply suspect people who claim to be 'word citizens' or 'race blind' or otherwise indifferent to groups are full of it. Perhaps some people might be to some groups, but for the love of god, are we all so high and mighty on our golden thrones of enlightenment that we can't acknowledge our innate imperfection as a species?

 

And yeah, yeah, you'll all claim how not-racist you are, because we're all very liberal and correct and progressive here, but it's time to own up to our evolutionary heritage, folks. We're hardwired to be racist, because we're hardwired to belong to groups.

 

Also, to those who say that racism is worse than murder/rape/torture/genocide/etc?

 

I think there is a misunderstanding of scale there, not to mention an egregious mistake in assignment of blame.

 

People who go out and lynch a black man because he is black have an awful lot more wrong with them than just hating black people. They are cruel and vicious and knocked in the head, and happened to express these traits by aiming them at someone in a different group from them.

 

If these people had no problems with black people, or any other race, they would find some other poor sod to lynch.

 

Because horrible people are horrible people. Some express it with racism. Others don't. But we're all just a little bit racist. Because that's how we evolved.

 

(I might as well apologize for my comments about Americans and racism. I consider myself American too, but god knows after only a short while of living in a very liberal county, I have had it up to here with being talked at about how terrible racism is. (While, I might add, being the target of it myself, when I hadn't ever been before.) We all know that racism is bad, folks. Can't we say something more interesting about it?)

I consider myself a world citizen. I refuse to say the pledge because I'm not loyal to my country. I care more about the world and it's people than some imaginary lines and screwed up governments. I'm not golden, far from it. I'm prejudiced, just not about race. It's not how I grew up, or how I think. I have imperfections, racism is not one of them. Seriously, not everyone's racist just like not everyone's got an issue with homosexuals.

 

I am liberal, but that's not why I say this. Groups aren't always based on race. My group is a mish-mosh of people who (know that I think about it) are all smart and/or love to act. So you could say I have low tolerance for those whom have a far lower intellectual level than me. :/

 

Also, I wouldn't say racism is worse than those things, because the two aren't comparable. Racism is a type of cause, those things are the effect. You can't compare the cause and effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a different topic, a lot of the attention here is being thrust towards the blacks when we talk about racism. Recently, where I live, there's been a lot of crap dumped on kids who 'look' Muslim or Mexican. If they look Hispanic in the slightest they're automatically 'border jumpers,' and if they look middle eastern they're 'terrorists.' Seriously. DX Sometimes I hate people so much it's not even funny. I hate the kids who give other people this crap, especially if the 'Hispanic' kid was actually Filipino. (Yes, that has happened)

[philpot123]

On a different topic, a lot of the attention here is being thrust towards the blacks when we talk about racism. Recently, where I live, there's been a lot of crap dumped on kids who 'look' Muslim or Mexican. If they look Hispanic in the slightest they're automatically 'border jumpers,' and if they look middle eastern they're 'terrorists.' Seriously. DX Sometimes I hate people so much it's not even funny. I hate the kids who give other people this crap, especially if the 'Hispanic' kid was actually Filipino. (Yes, that has happened)

*facepalm*

Well, at least it just made the jerk look like an idiot.

[Titan]

I don't mean to be racist, but I live in an almost ALL BLACK neighborhood. My only white neighbor has been yelled at, had his house broken into, and had it vandalized, JUST because he's white. I get bullied, beaten up, and called racist myself, even though ALL my friends are black. And now, the State is making everybody go to their base school. Yay for me![/sARCASM]

[Ilera]

I consider myself a world citizen. I refuse to say the pledge because I'm not loyal to my country. I care more about the world and it's people than some imaginary lines and screwed up governments. I'm not golden, far from it. I'm prejudiced, just not about race. It's not how I grew up, or how I think. I have imperfections, racism is not one of them. Seriously, not everyone's racist just like not everyone's got an issue with homosexuals.

 

I am liberal, but that's not why I say this. Groups aren't always based on race. My group is a mish-mosh of people who (know that I think about it) are all smart and/or love to act. So you could say I have low tolerance for those whom have a far lower intellectual level than me. :/ 

 

Also, I wouldn't say racism is worse than those things, because the two aren't comparable. Racism is a type of cause, those things are the effect. You can't compare the cause and effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a different topic, a lot of the attention here is being thrust towards the blacks when we talk about racism. Recently, where I live, there's been a lot of crap dumped on kids who 'look' Muslim or Mexican. If they look Hispanic in the slightest they're automatically 'border jumpers,' and if they look middle eastern they're 'terrorists.' Seriously. DX Sometimes I hate people so much it's not even funny. I hate the kids who give other people this crap, especially if the 'Hispanic' kid was actually Filipino. (Yes, that has happened)

That's...basically what I'm already saying? Of course not all groups are based on race. Groups are the big thing here. Race need not have anything to do with it--hence all my examples about raceless societies still finding reasons to divide themselves. Race is perceived as a pretty prominent group, though. Therefore, divisions and loyalties based on it are more common. Not very specific, directly acknowledged ones most of the time, owing to race's broadness,

 

And hey bro have you heard of this neat thing called the subconscious? All sorts of fun things go on in it. Last I heard, nearly all brainpower is un- or subconscious. Yes, I think it is possible to be subconsciously racist, based not on society, but on primal need to belong to a group. Everyone is a little bit racist, maybe without knowing it. Whatever you think you are or aren't might be pretty irrelevant in the face of all these years of evolution we have supporting our brains.

 

People don't know themselves very well. This is pretty established in psych. Even if you are so terribly enlightened and informed, you still have a kernel of MY GROUP IS BEST GROUP WHARGRABL in you. This is what causes racism, much more than simply 'not knowing' that wow, hey, this race isn't ACTUALLY better than this other race. What we assign blame to is often divorced completely to what's actually responsible for our reactions. There have been so many studies on this. (If I have to start citing them, I have half a mind to start doing so en masse.)

 

Dohohohoh, you have low tolerance for those who are dumber than you, that's just rich. This is the kind of thing I can only call back-handed humility. I'm sorry, but, wow.

 

I still say racism, when speaking in terms of what is worse than what, isn't a cause so much as it is an outlet for already messed up people. Atrocities committed on account of racism only use the groupthink mechanism in place to commit atrocities that would have been committed anyway--because there will always be groups, and these groups will always be at odds. People do horrible things to members of their own race on account of religion. To people of their own race and religion on account of nationality. To people of their own race and religion and nationality on account of gender. Or anything else.

 

Racism is only a type of group division. The real culprit behind all this awfulness, BEHIND every type of prejudice, behind every atrocity, is the way the human brain evolved. THAT SUCKS AND STUFF. AND WE SHOULD TRY NOT TO LET THAT COLOR OUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT SOCIETY IS ABOUT. But that's the way it is and the way it will continue to be. Which is why I don't hate racism--I understand it.

[PokemonGeek]

There's a song from Avenue Q (A musical with Muppet-like characters) called "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist." It's hilarious because it hits some truths about our society and race relations. Youtube it if you don't know the song!

[Obscure_Trash]

I'll agree everyone is prejudiced in some way and another but I'm not as quite convinced that everyone is racist.

 

I'll also agree that rape/murder/genocide/etc. to being worse than racism. Yes, people can do those things in the belief of racism. But people do those things in the belief of anything. What it really comes down to is (in the most very basic situation) they're bad people doing bad things. No matter why. That's definitely worse to me - the thing they've done, not why. (Although the reasons can be quite disgusting.)

[Packgoater]

That's...basically what I'm already saying? Of course not all groups are based on race. Groups are the big thing here. Race need not have anything to do with it--hence all my examples about raceless societies still finding reasons to divide themselves. Race is perceived as a pretty prominent group, though. Therefore, divisions and loyalties based on it are more common. Not very specific, directly acknowledged ones most of the time, owing to race's broadness,

 

And hey bro have you heard of this neat thing called the subconscious? All sorts of fun things go on in it. Last I heard, nearly all brainpower is un- or subconscious. Yes, I think it is possible to be subconsciously racist, based not on society, but on primal need to belong to a group. Everyone is a little bit racist, maybe without knowing it. Whatever you think you are or aren't might be pretty irrelevant in the face of all these years of evolution we have supporting our brains.

 

People don't know themselves very well. This is pretty established in psych. Even if you are so terribly enlightened and informed, you still have a kernel of MY GROUP IS BEST GROUP WHARGRABL in you. This is what causes racism, much more than simply 'not knowing' that wow, hey, this race isn't ACTUALLY better than this other race. What we assign blame to is often divorced completely to what's actually responsible for our reactions. There have been so many studies on this. (If I have to start citing them, I have half a mind to start doing so en masse.)

 

Dohohohoh, you have low tolerance for those who are dumber than you, that's just rich. This is the kind of thing I can only call back-handed humility. I'm sorry, but, wow.

 

I still say racism, when speaking in terms of what is worse than what, isn't a cause so much as it is an outlet for already messed up people. Atrocities committed on account of racism only use the groupthink mechanism in place to commit atrocities that would have been committed anyway--because there will always be groups, and these groups will always be at odds. People do horrible things to members of their own race on account of religion. To people of their own race and religion on account of nationality. To people of their own race and religion and nationality on account of gender. Or anything else.

 

Racism is only a type of group division. The real culprit behind all this awfulness, BEHIND every type of prejudice, behind every atrocity, is the way the human brain evolved. THAT SUCKS AND STUFF. AND WE SHOULD TRY NOT TO LET THAT COLOR OUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT SOCIETY IS ABOUT. But that's the way it is and the way it will continue to be. Which is why I don't hate racism--I understand it.

You're saying that everyone wants to belong to a group, and often times that group is defined by race, as everyone is racist. Is that really all that different from what I said before?

 

I'm not an idiot, I know what a subconscious is. But what had previously been defined as 'subconscious racism' was just preferences and random coincidences. There aren't many creatures that evolved to have racism in their wiring. Honestly, evolution is based of the survival for a species. How does racism help this? What would be the evolutionary pros?

 

I admit to my faults. I have several, I've already stated that. I'm not delusional, and I don't need you to attempt to talk down to me. Perhaps this is not what you mean, but this is what it comes across as. And really, are you kidding? I'm super competitive, of course I at least want to think my group is best. My group just isn't a bunch of other white people.

 

Not people dumber than me, what I said came across wrong. I have low tolerance for ignorant people who make rude false assumptions. Better? When I was little I did associate with the older kids because it frustrated me that other kids my age couldn't speak as well and were harder to understand. Now I have a problem with people who pretend to know what they're talking about but don't and just try to shove their opinions down my throat.

 

I don't care what is said, I hate racism with a passion, think it is wrong, and think the way to solve it is education. Education on different cultures and understanding them. Judging based on color is wrong, and even instincts can be stopped and fixed. People don't have to be racist, it's not the way everything has to be. It's wrong to accept it as a fact and say it's okay.

 

 

 

 

 

*facepalm*

Well, at least it just made the jerk look like an idiot.

 

Yeah. My friend, the Filipino, just laughed, shook his head, and outright told the guy what an idiot he was. It was pretty funny, but sad that someone would be so idiotic to say such a thing.

 

 

[Ilera]

You're saying that everyone wants to belong to a group, and often times that group is defined by race,  as everyone is racist. Is that really all that different from what I said before?

 

I'm not an idiot, I know what a subconscious is. But what had previously been defined as  'subconscious racism' was just preferences and random coincidences. There aren't many creatures that evolved to have racism in their wiring. Honestly, evolution is based of the survival for a species. How does racism help this? What would be the evolutionary pros?

 

I admit to my faults. I have several, I've already stated that. I'm not delusional, and I don't need you to attempt to talk down to me. Perhaps this is not what you mean, but this is what it comes across as. And really, are you kidding? I'm super competitive, of course I at least want to think my group is best. My group just isn't a bunch of other white people.

 

Not people dumber than me, what I said came across wrong. I have low tolerance for ignorant people who make rude false assumptions. Better? When I was little I did associate with the older kids because it frustrated me that other kids my age couldn't speak as well and were harder to understand. Now I have a problem with people who pretend to know what they're talking about but don't and just try to shove their opinions down my throat.

 

I don't care what is said, I hate racism with a passion, think it is wrong, and think the way to solve it is education. Education on different cultures and understanding them. Judging based on color is wrong, and even instincts can be stopped and fixed. People don't have to be racist, it's not the way everything has to be. It's wrong to accept it as a fact and say it's okay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah. My friend, the Filipino, just laughed, shook his head, and outright told the guy what an idiot he was. It was pretty funny, but sad that someone would be so idiotic to say such a thing.

Little misapprehension about cause-effect there. In simplified form, I say that everyone wants to belong to a group, and this instinct is deep and primal enough to be taken to dumb levels despite our better judgement, and race is a type of group--because of these things, yeah, everyone is just a little racist on the inside. Probably without knowing it, in this TERRIBLY ENLIGHTENED, HIGHLY PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL AGE. Hey, maybe you don't show it. Maybe your psychology shows in other ways. Maybe you only hang out with drama kids or only talk to science nerds or stick mostly with people from your religion. That's ok. That doesn't invalidate my point.

 

Evolution is not an almighty force looking out for the wellbeing of the human race in general. There is not greater good. There is no moving-the-whole-species-to-perfection. Evolution is about the survival of YOU and YOUR KIDS. YOU and YOUR KIDS stay alive by staying in favor with the group, because if the group decides they don't want you around next time everyone goes hunting mammoth, you don't get any mammoth. YOU starve to death or get eaten by lions or die of exposure, and so do YOUR KIDS, and if you didn't have kids, you never will. Your socially-offensive genes are now removed from the gene pool. After thousands of years of this, people will on a subconscious level do anything to remain favored with their group. And because evolution is a pretty simple mechanism depending on random mutations and trial-and-effect, that means deeply ingrained inherited traits are outdated, overkill, or almost entirely useless. EG: the appendix, the tailbone, racism, unusually shaped genitalia, etc.

 

Ok, well, preferences or not, these preferences are coming from the same mechanism that gets people to believe their race is superior to all other races. It's all group-preference. Some people are too dumb to realize they shouldn't friggin' take it that far.

 

Well...maybe I came across as trying to talk down to you, but you came across as really pretentious and high-and-mighty :| How about we agree that we're both in a desperate race to see who can seem the most head-up-your-arse and leave it at that.

 

Ok EVERYONE has problems with people like that, because people like that are annoying. Saying that you don't like them is like saying you don't like being punched in the face.

 

Actually, I disagree with that method of fighting racism too. Whether or not anyone cares about all my HURR OPINIONS HURRR about why racism happens and what is worse than racism, I absolutely think putting too much stress on EDUMAKAYSHUN ABOUT OTHER CULTURES is a bad idea. For pretty much the same reasons that I think Affirmative Action is a terrible idea.

 

Because when you're trying to get people to stop discriminating between certain groups, it is an awful idea to do so by separating everyone into different groups and telling them that they're actually all the same. That's counterintutive.That's just a silly way of doing things. That's not going to convince anyone, not even if you scream it at kids from their first day of kindergarten. In fact, if you do that, it will probably just annoy them and jade them to the fact that racism is a serious issue. While convincing them that races really DO matter because, hey, everyone keeps talking about it! They must be meaningful somehow!

 

The way you fight racism is that you convince people there aren't really any races worth mentioning, except the ones taking place in the park next Saturday shortly before the pie-eating contest.

 

You just treat everyone the same. You don't try to force people to be diverse. You don't sacrifice efficiency and reasonableness and all common sense for the sake of diversity. You don't cancel math class for the day to bore middle-schoolers with empty, meaning-free words about the importance of diversity (this exact thing happened to me in middle school). You don't give certain races preference when hiring (seeing as that, you know, is basically the definition of racism). You don't give every culture a month celebrating its history. You don't treat people like their race is important.

 

You just

 

treat everyone

 

the same

 

If we insist on getting hung up one what one race did to another race however long ago, or banging our fists demanding that everyone's culture be given special attention (unless you're white, of course, then you get nothing, because every month is White History Month apparently, dontcha know, it's not like white people have variable, interesting cultures and histories, that would be madness), or WHATEVER ELSE, we will do absolutely nothing to battle racism. It won't go away, it won't even slightly go away, it'll just change outfits for a little while.

 

Groups doing bad things to other groups is nothing new. We can combat that by minimizing, whenever possible, group division.

 

(Also, this is what patriotism is for, and why I think it is important to be patriotic--at least while living in that country. That guy is black, and that guy is Jewish, and that guy is gay, but hey, we're both Americans, so it's all good. I'm Russian--it is my first language, I was born in Russia, and all my family is Russian. But I don't live there, and haven't for a while, so this no longer means very much to me. The larger the group, the less allegiance any one person feels he owes it--which is why saying you're a world citizen doesn't count for very much. You might as well be a citizen of nowhere. Though it is a nice idea.)

[St. Jimmy]

I absolutely think putting too much stress on EDUMAKAYSHUN ABOUT OTHER CULTURES is a bad idea.

Except ignorance about other cultures leads to stereotypes and racism.

 

For example, the stereotype that the Rrom people are thieves and baby killers comes to mind...

[dragon_mando]

Except ignorance about other cultures leads to stereotypes and racism.

 

For example, the stereotype that the Rrom people are thieves and baby killers comes to mind...

This.

 

Also, the stereotype that because I'm part Scottish, I'll be a horrible alcoholic someday...or the German part of me automatically makes me a Nazi (or the worse ones, like the predominantly German town I grew up in, the people would tease me for being a mutt because I wasn't full German like them).

[philpot123]

This.

 

Also, the stereotype that because I'm part Scottish, I'll be a horrible alcoholic someday...or the German part of me automatically makes me a Nazi (or the worse ones, like the predominantly German town I grew up in, the people would tease me for being a mutt because I wasn't full German like them).

I guess that makes me a Nazi as well. Oh, and a witch killer.

[Ilera]

:/

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't study other cultures at all.

 

But that should be part of regular world history courses, and not given so much emphasis that it backfires.

 

And I can attest to the fact that it will backfire.

 

Ok are we going to completely ignore everything I say just to conveniently misinterpret one awkward turn of phrase.

 

Cool cool so long as we're all on the same page.

[Lila]

:/

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't study other cultures at all.

 

But that should be part of regular world history courses, and not given so much emphasis that it backfires.

 

And I can attest to the fact that it will backfire.

 

Ok are we going to completely ignore everything I say just to conveniently misinterpret one awkward turn of phrase.

 

Cool cool so long as we're all on the same page.

Well, I understand what you're saying. And right now it seems like people are just being nitpicky. Honestly I don't understand why people with great-great-grandparents that are Native Americans get scholarships. That's prejudice. I don't get any college scholarships for my ethnicity. You should earn scholarships, not be born with a right to one. That's racist, by giving special privileges to a certain color.

 

Giving the next generation of a race special treatment because you abused the last generation? That doesn't make complete sense to me. If the race hasn't made a full recovery, yea, that makes sense. But I'm pretty sure it's a whole lot easier for an African American to get a job NOW than it was in the 60s, so they don't need a scholarship for being dark-skinned. I'm completely positive that they have the brains to earn it.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Lila

[Ilera]

Well, I understand what you're saying. And right now it seems like people are just being nitpicky. Honestly I don't understand why people with great-great-grandparents that are Native Americans get scholarships. That's prejudice. I don't get any college scholarships for my ethnicity. You should earn scholarships, not be born with a right to one. That's racist, by giving special privileges to a certain color.

 

Giving the next generation of a race special treatment because you abused the last generation? That doesn't make complete sense to me. If the race hasn't made a full recovery, yea, that makes sense. But I'm pretty sure it's a whole lot easier for an African American to get a job NOW than it was in the 60s, so they don't need a scholarship for being dark-skinned. I'm completely positive that they have the brains to earn it.

It's actually sort of insulting, isn't it? "You black people are obviously not smart enough to get scholarships on your own, but that's ok! Us liberal, enlightened folks are going to give you them, no problem. We're sorry we're white and stuff."

[Lila]

It's actually sort of insulting, isn't it? "You black people are obviously not smart enough to get scholarships on your own, but that's ok! Us liberal, enlightened folks are going to give you them, no problem. We're sorry we're white and stuff."

Yea...I never understood how it worked /: I really feel like people should be treated equally when it comes to academics. My education is the most important thing to me, and if someone has an advantage over me because of their race, that's completely the opposite of what they teach us in racism awareness classes or whatever they're called...

[The Evil Doer]

Evil, all your examples are sort of superficial and don't go to show any sort of subconscious racism. Just personal taste and comfort levels based on personality. Racism is defined as

 

 

1. The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as...

2. Prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief.

 

Well, that doesn't have anything to do with whether or not I like girls with black hair or red now does it? And it doesn't have anything to do with sitting next to a black person or not on the subway, especially when my choice isn't based on race at all. So yeah. I completely disagree with the premise that "all people are racist on the inside to the x degree."

It has everything do with it, your taste in girls aka your type a girl is by definition your ultimate partner with whom you want to make babies, if you are in a room with 10 supermodels of all colors of course you will be attracted to all of them, but on a subconscious level in 99% of the cases a white hetrosexual male is looking for a white female, the same rule applies to other races since all humans are the same and all are looking for a similar mate....

1% of the remaining population is a kink, a kink which evolved because of environmental factors...

 

I am not inventing the wheel here, google it, research a few racial studies and human psyche and you will find out for yourself that it has been proven over and over again by science....

White will go for white, black for black and so on with every race, because thats how human psyche works, the fact that you liked one Indian girl means nothing, its almost relevant to the topic of human psyche as me eating lasagna instead of a burger....

 

The choices you make as to where to sit or which girl to like.... You cant possibly understand what your choices mean since by definition people are unaware of their subconscious... Only a selected few ever manage to reach the point of full awareness (when I say selecteed few I mean something along the lines of 0.000001% of humans) and those selected few certainly dont reach it at a young age and Im pretty certain you are not older than twenty...

 

As to the example of sitting next to a balck person... First of all, its just an example, second of all this is how subconscious works -

 

1. you choose to sit next to a white person instead of a black person, you arent even aware of the fact that you have chosen to sit next to the white person, it all happened in your subconscious and you dont even pay attention to it nor see it as an act of racism

 

2. You choose to sit next to a black person, on a subconscious level you feel guilt hence the need to prove (mainly to yourself) that you are not a racist on any level, this too happens on a subconscious level, you dont even pay attention to it...

 

Thats whats beautiful about the subconscious, most of the things you do, you think you are doing by choice when in fact your instincts and other subconscious factors have a huge say in those so called choices you make...

 

If you are in college take a few classes in psychology, if you are not yet, just read a book or some interesting studies about human psyche, I promise you will find it interesting as well as discover a thing or two about yourself, brain is one intriguing topic.....

 

And all the rest of you who are.... I refuse that statement, I was raised in a certain manner, I have black friends, I have this and that, not even one cell in my body is racist.... Come on, who are you trying to convince here ? Me or yourselves ? Did I miss something and some of you suddenly arent human ?

If I'm so wrong and you are right, I suggest you publish a paper on the topic, I just hope your reasoning wont be "I know that Im not racist"...

If you publish such paper and actually manage to prove it on a scientific level it will get you a nobel prize, of that Im certain....

 

 

[dragon_mando]

2. You choose to sit next to a black person, on a subconscious level you feel guilt hence the need to prove (mainly to yourself) that you are not a racist on any level, this too happens on a subconscious level, you dont even pay attention to it...

 

Thats whats beautiful about the subconscious, most of the things you do, you think you are doing by choice when in fact your instincts and other subconscious factors have a huge say in those so called choices you make...

 

If you are in college take a few classes in psychology, if you are not yet, just read a book or some interesting studies about human psyche, I promise you will find it interesting as well as discover a thing or two about yourself, brain is one intriguing topic.....

I'll give you credit for everything before this point in this post, but I draw the line at this one. Why would I feel guilt when they are just as human as I am and white people have been in slavery as well? I would take the seat next to them because it was the only one or was the one closest to me, the same as I would for anyone of any other race: because it was the most convenient seat. My instinct to avoid unnecessary work far overrides my instinct to be with people "like me", especially in some situations.

 

Say there are two people in a room with me, another white person with nothing else in common with me and a black person who shares the same hobby I do. I will sit with the black man every time because he is the one that is actually similar to me and thus I will feel safer with them than with the person of same skin colour with whom I share nothing.

 

Did I miss something and some of you suddenly arent human ?

Of course I'm not, I'm a Time Lord jk

[The Evil Doer]

 

 

I'll give you credit for everything before this point in this post, but I draw the line at this one. Why would I feel guilt when they are just as human as I am and white people have been in slavery as well? I would take the seat next to them because it was the only one or was the one closest to me, the same as I would for anyone of any other race: because it was the most convenient seat. My instinct to avoid unnecessary work far overrides my instinct to be with people "like me", especially in some situations.

 

1. I said its an example, one of many examples out there hence applies to certain people while it doesnt ot others....

2. Why would you feel guilt ? I never said you nor anybody else should however "white guilt" is once again not something I'm inventing, it exists and even though you and I dont feel it, as it seems some people out there do....

Dont believe me, google the phrase "white guilt" and see what happens....

 

Say there are two people in a room with me, another white person with nothing else in common with me and a black person who shares the same hobby I do. I will sit with the black man every time because he is the one that is actually similar to me and thus I will feel safer with them than with the person of same skin colour with whom I share nothing.

 

Once again, examples by definition dont apply to all people, refuting an example on a personal level... Its like a song thats calling women names yet girls like the song, when asked about the offensive words - they answer, "well he aint talking about me".... Makes sense ? I can make 20 examples and you can check negative on all 20, however it doesnt mean that there arent examples out there that indeed apply to you as well, which is basically what im saying, we are humans hence by definition there is no such thing as not a shred of racism within any one of us....

 

Of course I'm not, I'm a Time Lord jk

 

My bad.... emm... could you do me a solid one and jump back in time, I need...

 

1. A picture of who actually killed JFK

2. To acquire 20% of google

3. To give cave man a lighter

4. Take photos of aztec's sacrifice ritual

5. And if you can do the future too, I really need that teleporting device, planes take too much time and there is always some screaming baby...

 

Thanks

Edited October 22, 2011 by The Evil Doer