Why aren't you a racist?

rc5

Platinum Member
Oct 13, 1999
2,464
1
0
How can one person not having prejudiced belief on different races?
I mean you certainly know there existing many nice/good guys in all races and you are able to treat others friendly. But in your deep heart, do you really think people having different skin color, different sexual orientation or coming from different regions the same as those people in your race?
 

SilentBoB

Golden Member
Nov 13, 1999
1,232
1
0
I'm not a racist because I view all people in the same light. I don't judge people by looks ever. I do not have what you would call first impressions. I don't accept or reject people until I know their personality.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,113
925
126
There is but one race....it's called people, that's how I treat them; the same! You must want a flame war to get this started. I'd have thought twice about making this thread. :Q
 

403Forbidden

Banned
May 4, 2000
2,268
0
0


<< I'm not a racist because I view all people in the same light. I don't judge people by looks ever. I do not have what you would call first impressions. I don't accept or reject people until I know their personality. >>




Hmm... just wondering.

Suppose you were interviewing two people for a job. They were equal in their
qualifications and both were very charming verbally during the interview.

But one of them was dressed like a slob....wearing pajamas, uncombed hair, smelly
morning breath etc.

The other person was dressed neatly and looke dprofessional

Who would you hire?
 

somethingwitty

Golden Member
Aug 1, 2000
1,420
1
0
I think everyone has first impressions of people they meet, and they have a profile of people in their minds before even talking to them. The non-racists are those who can overcome those first impressions to try getting to know someone of a different race
 

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
81
Well 403, that's not really a matter of racism...more one of prejudice. If you were using it as an analogy, I understand.

I don't consider myself a racist. That's all I ever have to say when a conversation like this pops up. I lump topics like this in with politics, religion, AMD vs Intel, etc. I have my opinion, others have theirs, and nothing results out of the conversation except for alot of arguments and eventual name calling.
 

AlphaIVT

Banned
Jul 26, 2000
3,650
0
0
WE all have a little rascism in us, so small that we don't even notice it, 403Forbidden brings up a good point. It all comes down to how nice you are, if you're a person who wants to help people, you'll hire the poor looking guy so that he could make money, but if you're the one that wants someone that you can depend on, is responsible, you'd choose the dressed up guy. Although you're comparing stereotypes, not races, but we get your point.
 

BigToque

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,700
0
76
I dont consider myself to be racist, but I have a question.

I am a white male, and I have never met somone of a different race or skin color that I have ever found attractive.

What does that mean?
 

AlphaIVT

Banned
Jul 26, 2000
3,650
0
0
well, i'm asian and hardly find any asian girls in my area (which is mostly asian) attractive, all the white girls are hot!
 

SilentBoB

Golden Member
Nov 13, 1999
1,232
1
0
403Forbidden, you are bringing up special circumstances. In that job interview situation, unless the position being filled is a of a high rank and importance(As in, there would be lunches and meetings and such to further determine the best cadidate), then I would only have that initial interview to go on. Going by the initial interview, then, I would have to pick the guy who is more professional because it doesnt seem very professional for the other guy to show up looking unpresentable.

But I was talking about judging people as a person, a friend, an equal. I wouldn't deem the &quot;slob&quot; as a bad guy or a bad person. I wouldn't think anything wrong of him. I would presume it just wasn't his day and something went wrong, explaining his appearance. If I saw more of him, though, through meetings and the like, and he continued this &quot;style,&quot; but he overall seemed the best for the job, I would advise him that he dress more appropriately and look presentable in order to succeed.
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
10,090
0
0
Well said, compuwiz. :)

By the way, rc5, I think the term you are looking for is prejudicial. A racist is one who believes that race itself &quot;accounts for differences in human character or ability, and that a particular race is superior to others.&quot; Many people form prejudices for, or against, certain people; however, solely judging an individual based on their race is witless.



<< But in your deep heart, do you really think people having different skin color, different sexual orientation or coming from different regions the same as those people in your race? >>



Simply put,
1. Yes.
2. What exactly is &quot;your race&quot;? Here's a famous quotation for ya: &quot;The first law of ecology is that everything is related to everything else.&quot; - Barry Commoner.

Rob
 
Aug 23, 2000
15,511
1
81


<< I'm not a racist because I view all people in the same light. I don't judge people by looks ever. I do not have what you would call first impressions. >>



So you can honestly say that while sitting at a red light, you've never rolled up your window or double checked to see if your door was locked when a bum or person of color(i don't know or care what is politicaly correct anymore) walked near your car.

I do it all the time.
 

BA

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 1999
5,004
1
0
Because I hate everyone! My only major prejudice is against stupid people, and we all know stupidity heeds no racial boundaries.
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
12
81
hey rc5, what did u expect to get with that question anyways? only thing i agree on this is that everyone is racist to some degree. We do judge book by its cover and WE DO Guess the truth just by outside because we are humans. I guess SilentBOB would ask this question when he's getting robbed, &quot;what is your name? are u a nice person? i will not judge you because you have knife up my throat.&quot; We must decide on so many things with just little information and must make best choice with that, some ppl are just careful and more logical and some ppl are just retarded.
 

AlphaIVT

Banned
Jul 26, 2000
3,650
0
0
maybe in 1000 years when all the races interbreed together that we'll have a single race with zero-prejudicsmin. Our only rascism will be against the aliens ;)
 

goog40

Diamond Member
Mar 16, 2000
4,198
1
0
Everyone is somewhat biased, even though their actions don't reflect it.
 

Spindler

Senior member
Oct 3, 2000
381
0
0
i'm sure there's some equal opportunity haters out there. they hate everyone equally.
 

Futuramatic

Banned
Oct 9, 1999
728
0
0
It is impossible to not form a first impression based on physical appearance. AS enligtened as I think I am, if I see someone wearing what I consider to be inappropriate clothing, then I see that person as also being inappropriate. NOT THAT I MIGHT NOT CHANGE MY MIND LATER, but first impressions can open or close doors for people.

Basing your first impression solely on someone's race or sex is completely inappropriate, but it does play a role (stereotypes mainly). Much of this profiling can be avoided simply by the person's manner of dress and hygeine(sp). Please forgive the roughness of the following example... I am tired.

I see an person. He is dressed in nice slacks/jeans with a nice shirt and is well groomed. If another individual was wearing (again, forgive my lack of vocabulary) &quot;ghetto clothes&quot; (baggy clothes, side-turned hat, untied sneakers, unbuckled coveralls) with other than a clean cut hair style, my first impression is different. Depending on the time of day, part of town, and degree of separation from the first example, I may say &quot;hi,&quot; or I may cross the street. In neither case have I met the individual, but my reactions were different.

Another question: when you pictured the above indiviuals, what were there skin color? I would be willing to bet that most people considered the second person and African American, and the first was dependent on what race you are personally. I described NFS4 (from his picture... he so cute :p)in the first example, and a thug from high school (who happened to be Asian as far as I could tell) in the second.

What is my point you ask (and it may not be as clear... it is 1:15AM and I been up since 5AM). EVERYONE makes first impressions based on appearence and race. It is almost uncontrollable. The key is to not cling to these first impressions (unless they are horrid, then you will probably be accurate in your initial assessment). Always get to know a person before making any type of judgement as to content of character.
 

cgclausen

Senior member
Aug 6, 2000
290
0
0
I agree with goog40 everyone is slightly biast. That doesn't mean you need to be racist though. The reason I'm not racist? Cause the world doesn't need any more people who think they are better than others. I see it at school all the time. People just don't think about how what they do affects others. I wish people would start to think about it though though. If that happened the world would be a much better place.
 

SilentBoB

Golden Member
Nov 13, 1999
1,232
1
0


<< I guess SilentBOB would ask this question when he's getting robbed, &quot;what is your name? are u a nice person? i will not judge you because you have knife up my throat.&quot; >>



Once again, you are pulling out these circumstances. Of course I wouldn't think kindly of the person with the knife to my throat but I wouldn't judge him by color, sex, or anything like that. I would simply understand that he is most likely doing it because he is desperate for money. If the robber was asian, for example, I wouldn't think that any Asian I come across from then on will rob me. As for that car door thing, I haven't ever done that. I have in fact opened my window and given money to a &quot;bum&quot; on many an occasion.

Anyway, what you guys don't seem to get is the point of what I said. I have dealt with this before, too. I will be with my friends and we will meet some guy or girl or somebody. When we walk away, they will be all critical and saying stuff about the person and I ask them why they are so critical and predjudice. They don't even know the person and they are insulting them behind their back while I am thinking that person was nice. A potential new friend. I welcome everybody. I am not elitist in any way and I hate those who are.