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Racism?

Woberts

The Perfumed Seneschal
"Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior."
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Racism, like nearly every word in the English language, has more than one meaning. As I see it, there are two common meanings of the word "racism".

The first meaning of the word is personal racism: To view or treat a person in such a way as to reduce them, or their value as a person, to no more than their race. For instance, you would ignore everything about a person, their character, their personality, their accomplishments, and instead see them as, "Just another Black man", or "Just another White man", etc.

I personally prefer that definition over the "standard" definition of personal racism as "Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed at a person of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior", although I think both definitions have their uses.

The second meaning of the word is structural or systematic racism. A structuring of society, its rules, regulations, laws, customs, traditions, power relationships, and institutions, etc. in such a way as to systematically discriminate against people of a particular race. For instance, if you arranged things such that the rules or regulations of the banking and real estate industries made it difficult or impossible for Blacks to buy and own homes in certain neighborhoods, that would be structural or systematic racism.
 

HonestJoe

Well-Known Member
If we are all of the Human race, what exactly is racism?
A demonstration of the complexities and contradictions of human language (especially English). Words can have multiple meanings in different contexts. This is actually one of the simpler and most easily understood examples. :)
 

Jumi

Well-Known Member
Usually the idea that race determines the level of capability or morals of individuals.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Racism is a psychological artifact of a couple million years living in small bands of hunter-gathers during the Pleistocene. Characteristics were selected that favored small band solidarity and competition with "other" bands.
Our brains are wired to unite us into teams and to oppose teams of 'others'. Extra-band solidarity and extension of moral obligation beyond ones own band is unnatural to our species -- "it has to be carefully taught."

Of course, this team mentality and antagonism toward "the other," useful as it was 100,000 years ago, is counter-productive in a modern civilization. There's been a great deal of cultural and religious promotion of 'diversity' and large group solidarity over the past few thousand years, but overcoming a hard-wired neurology is difficult. Tolerance for 'others' -- Jews, blacks, browns, Rohingyas, &c -- is a thin, easily stripped off cultural veneer.
 

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher
Racism is a psychological artifact of a couple million years living in small bands of hunter-gathers during the Pleistocene. Characteristics were selected that favored small band solidarity and competition with "other" bands.
Our brains are wired to unite us into teams and to oppose teams of 'others'. Extra-band solidarity and extension of moral obligation beyond ones own band is unnatural to our species -- "it has to be carefully taught."

Of course, this team mentality and antagonism toward "the other," useful as it was 100,000 years ago, is counter-productive in a modern civilization. There's been a great deal of cultural and religious promotion of 'diversity' and large group solidarity over the past few thousand years, but overcoming a hard-wired neurology is difficult. Tolerance for 'others' -- Jews, blacks, browns, Rohingyas, &c -- is a thin, easily stripped off cultural veneer.

This may be wrong......


Early men and women were equal, say scientists

Sex, Violence and The Male Warrior Hypothesis | Brain Blogger

"This idea is part of a simmering discussion about the importance of male aggression in human evolution. According to the “Male Warrior Hypothesis”, men have evolved stronger tendencies to form coalitions to attack other groups and to defend their own groups, families and property against coalitions of other men."
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
This may be wrong......


Early men and women were equal, say scientists

Sex, Violence and The Male Warrior Hypothesis | Brain Blogger

"This idea is part of a simmering discussion about the importance of male aggression in human evolution. According to the “Male Warrior Hypothesis”, men have evolved stronger tendencies to form coalitions to attack other groups and to defend their own groups, families and property against coalitions of other men."
I don't follow.
Hunter gatherer cultures are famous for their egalitarianism -- it's Anthropology 101. There is no hierarchy, everyone is the same, and the only specialization is men hunting and women gathering. There is intense in-group solidarity and altruism, but this doesn't necessarily extend to other bands.
Like wolf packs, everyone co-operates, but if another wolf pack is encountered, everyone co-operates in the inevitable fight, as well.

Yes. Males are the hunters and warriors. Women find it hard to hunt with infants and toddlers in tow, and, in an encounter with strangers, must retreat to a safe place and protect their offspring if the band is to have any future.
 

Spiderman

Veteran Member
I've lived in ghettos and jails, where bad experiences changes how a person judges the world around them and can lead to the development of a certain healthy distaste for cultures that have much higher rate of crime, drug-addiction, and violence.

Also, I think different ethnicities can have different gifts on average. I believe there is evidence that Asians, Jews, and blacks can naturally be better at something than the average white person and vice-versa.

To me that isn't racist, but obvious.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Also, I think different ethnicities can have different gifts on average. I believe there is evidence that Asians, Jews, and blacks can naturally be better at something than the average white person and vice-versa.

Such differences tend to be culturally and economically based and change over time.
 

David1967

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
It wouldn't hurt us to be more welcoming to our newer
members with questions which try to initiate discussion.

Right you are Rev. I remember when I first came to this forum with a seemingly innocent question and someone was a complete A#$ to me. Not a good first impression. But I stuck around. Hope this person does too.
 

suncowiam

Well-Known Member
It wouldn't hurt us to be more welcoming to our newer
members with questions which try to initiate discussion.

Learn by fire?

Newer members will have to get used to this as quickly as they can. I'm not one to shelter folks unless they're minors or possibly have a mental illness. Otherwise, it's all fair game so let's not walk on egg shells.

Jay's setting his boundaries with this member, IMO. That's all it is...
 

suncowiam

Well-Known Member
If we are all of the Human race, what exactly is racism?

I can't tell if you're asking a serious question or if you're feigning ignorance. Sorry, if that comes out offensive.

To take your comment at face value suggests that there shouldn't be a notion of racism in our lives... Be careful with that.
 

Thermos aquaticus

Well-Known Member
If we are all of the Human race, what exactly is racism?

Racism is the act of arbitrarily putting people into groups (usually based on culture or specific physical features) and then concluding that some groups have less worth as humans than others. This is usually tied closely to xenophobia.
 
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