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Are you racist?
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brigden
Diamond Member
I honestly believe it's impossible to not be racist, even just slightly. Human beings thrive on being different from one another. We identify each other based on these differences. Just as one would attribute traits to individuals dressed a certain way, i.e. uniforms, we attribute traits to individuals with different coloured skin. It's natural.
NikPreviousAcct
No Lifer
And when you meet them and they're of the same stupid race time and time again, your brain gets conditioned to automatically think "great, another immensely stupid person" when you see someone of that race.
Atleast, that's what's happened to me anyway.
Indeed, it is a strong term. The negative connotation of the word, in my opinion, makes having an open mind regarding one's own racist tendencies more difficult.
If I view my interactions with people of different 'races' objectively, I can see that I do treat them differently based on a perception of race. This perception prevents me from treating them as a human being, which I find despicable in myself.
It is my goal to make this perception of race insignificant in my treatment of others. American culture does not make that easy to do, which is understandable considering our history.
Insofar as I prefer certain cultures and values to other, yes. I don't really care about your skin color or physical appearance, but I may despise your culture and it's practices. Sometimes your physical appearance is a fairly good indication of the cultural group you belong to, but there are always exceptions.
If that counts as racism, then I guess so.
If that counts as racism, then I guess so.
I think you missed my meaning. Or maybe I'm not understanding your reply.
Do you treat a car salesman different than you treat a teacher? If somebody tells you that they are a lawyer do you have any resentment twords them? If a car salesman gives you the run around and you walk out hating that guy, do you not have a negative attitude twords car salesmen in the future?
If you see time after time on the news that a murder was commited by a specific race, do you not file that away and have some reservations on that race?
I guess what I'm saying is that it's human nature to be guarded against a particular race/profession/whatever that has somehow left a negative opinion of them in our mind.
Now we're talking generally about stereotypes and I was trying to keep it on racism specifically. Obviously the two are pretty closely tied.
I try to keep the same attitude with profession as I do with races. There are good and bad people doing those jobs and I try to see them as individuals with each encounter.
I agree that Human nature compels a tribal mentality and we are willing to embrace simplified stereotypes. It is safe and experience has taught us it is often correct, however it is still, in my opinion, incorrect behavior (I know you're not arguing that, I'm just stating I don't think it's right). Us and Them is a simplified worldview that ultimately result in the perpetration of terrible injustice.
Rapidskies
Golden Member
I had to look up what websters definition for a racist is before I could come up with an honest answer. The definition is:
"The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others."
With that I would say I am a racist. I know people of different ethnicities have physical differences and it is not just skin color. That being said, the differences on average are so small that they don't really matter when you look at it from a societal point of view, where millions of people interact together and you can see a large breadth of differences within a race.
Racial differences only become evident, when a small group of that race is revealed to have pronounced racial abilities, for example blacks and pro sports. There are physical differences between different races and because our society is too politically correct to accept that, they create more problems by trying to hide differences. If we were truly an open society and a forward thinking society we could celebrate our differences and still get along and perhaps make our differences a benefit instead of a taboo subject.
"The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others."
With that I would say I am a racist. I know people of different ethnicities have physical differences and it is not just skin color. That being said, the differences on average are so small that they don't really matter when you look at it from a societal point of view, where millions of people interact together and you can see a large breadth of differences within a race.
Racial differences only become evident, when a small group of that race is revealed to have pronounced racial abilities, for example blacks and pro sports. There are physical differences between different races and because our society is too politically correct to accept that, they create more problems by trying to hide differences. If we were truly an open society and a forward thinking society we could celebrate our differences and still get along and perhaps make our differences a benefit instead of a taboo subject.
imported_Mike
Lifer
You can thank the media..
I guess that's my fundamental problem with the word "racist". Is a person that has certain perceptions of a given race/culture really racist because they beleive in generalizations or stereotypes that are statistically true?
It's a very harmful word that is flung around too often...by all races/cultures.
Chaotic42
Lifer
Very slightly. I won't lie, I'd feel more comfortable around 20 thug looking white guys than 20 thug looking black guys.
In other situations (>99.999% of them), I'm not racist.
I do, however, discrimiate against people who can't speak English properly and should be able to (This excludes foreigners and those with speech problems).
In other situations (>99.999% of them), I'm not racist.
I do, however, discrimiate against people who can't speak English properly and should be able to (This excludes foreigners and those with speech problems).
NikPreviousAcct
No Lifer
By AT's definition, yes. That's why I answered yes. I'm a stereotyping sumbitch.
Take comfort from the fact that the negative connotation is not the definition.
I don't think it's ever a good idea to shy away from a label because of the negativity implied. The connotation is subjective and ultimately meaningless.
You should define the terms by which you define yourself.
we should state some differences though-I'm a hindhu indian. I really like my religion, but hate most of the people. Indian religion is really good, the principles make sense, unlike some of those in Catholocism. However MOST indians have no class, no social skills, smell, and especially are very cheap. I like to call them the Jews of the East.
Goodbye!
Goodbye!
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