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Is "racism" genetic or learned?
Posted on 1/24/14 at 10:54 am
Posted on 1/24/14 at 10:54 am
I myself believe we are all racist in one way or another... is it something we're born with or is it something we learn as children growing up?
Posted on 1/24/14 at 10:58 am to pistolpete23
If you white you was born racist.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:02 am to notiger1997
quote:
100% learned
Cite?
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:04 am to pistolpete23
What is your definition of "racism"?
I doubt there is much agreement on what "it" actually is.
I doubt there is much agreement on what "it" actually is.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:04 am to pistolpete23
I wouldn't say it's genetic because that implies evolution and darwinism BUT I think like all animals it's an us vs them mentality to survive in the wild and this definitely stems from the same base instinct and comes from that, some people can stand against it some can't but it's in our blood
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:18 am to Green Chili Tiger
I think there's an inherent tendency towards ethnocentrism for ALL groups.
Yes, it can manifest itself in one group having a tendency to more quickly conclude that a member of another group is a thug.
Yes, it can also manifest itself by one group continuously showing 95-98% support for an incompetent president of the same group.
Yes, it can manifest itself in one group having a tendency to more quickly conclude that a member of another group is a thug.
Yes, it can also manifest itself by one group continuously showing 95-98% support for an incompetent president of the same group.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:19 am to SevenLinesofPine
quote:
I wouldn't say it's genetic because that implies evolution and darwinism BUT I think like all animals it's an us vs them mentality to survive in the wild and this definitely stems from the same base instinct and comes from that, some people can stand against it some can't but it's in our blood
I agree
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:29 am to pistolpete23
genetic?
If this were true you'd be racist against tall people.
Race is an invented construct not much different than height. It is completely focused on what people look like, specifically their skin pigment.
If this were true you'd be racist against tall people.
Race is an invented construct not much different than height. It is completely focused on what people look like, specifically their skin pigment.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:32 am to pistolpete23
100% learned without doubt.
Race itself is a social construct that is only about 400 years old. There has always been tribalism and xenophobia, but we have not always had racism the way we had up until the late 20th century. It was largely a product of colonialism, Enlightenment thinking, and modernism.
Racism is a result of evolutionary theory as well and was quite a progressive idea. It is really funny how liberals try to pin racism on conseravtives, when in reality, the very same philosophies that brought us Enlightenment thinking also produced racism.
Racism, as we understand it, is not endemic to the human experience. Europeans never thought of themselves as "white" and the idea of a "white" race never even gain traction until around 1700 or so.
So yes, it is 100% learned and culturally located and constructed.
But, let's not confuse Racism with Nationalism, Tribalism, Ethnocentricism, or Xenophobia. They are different things.
Race itself is a social construct that is only about 400 years old. There has always been tribalism and xenophobia, but we have not always had racism the way we had up until the late 20th century. It was largely a product of colonialism, Enlightenment thinking, and modernism.
Racism is a result of evolutionary theory as well and was quite a progressive idea. It is really funny how liberals try to pin racism on conseravtives, when in reality, the very same philosophies that brought us Enlightenment thinking also produced racism.
Racism, as we understand it, is not endemic to the human experience. Europeans never thought of themselves as "white" and the idea of a "white" race never even gain traction until around 1700 or so.
So yes, it is 100% learned and culturally located and constructed.
But, let's not confuse Racism with Nationalism, Tribalism, Ethnocentricism, or Xenophobia. They are different things.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:34 am to pistolpete23
Racism is specifically the thought or act of believing that you are superior to other people because of the color of your skin. I do not believe that to be genetic.
However, I do believe there is a natural tendency to be with who you are familiar with. I do believe that tendency to be genetic. That tendency is based on familiar smells, behaviors, stature, and other physical/physiological characteristics. This tendency to be with whom you are familiar with leads to tribalism. IMO tribalism is mostly based on genetics.
So skin color could be the predominate reason why a tribe (or group) is formed. However that does not mean they are racist.
But as soon as they think that their group is superior to other groups because of their skin color, then they are racist. Thinking that you are superior to another group based on skin color is 100% learned and NOT genetic, IMO.
However, I do believe there is a natural tendency to be with who you are familiar with. I do believe that tendency to be genetic. That tendency is based on familiar smells, behaviors, stature, and other physical/physiological characteristics. This tendency to be with whom you are familiar with leads to tribalism. IMO tribalism is mostly based on genetics.
So skin color could be the predominate reason why a tribe (or group) is formed. However that does not mean they are racist.
But as soon as they think that their group is superior to other groups because of their skin color, then they are racist. Thinking that you are superior to another group based on skin color is 100% learned and NOT genetic, IMO.
This post was edited on 1/24/14 at 11:37 am
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:40 am to GumboPot
quote:it means they selected skin color as the defining characteristic for their so-called tribe. How exactly do you come up with skin color as the basis for your tribe without racism? It is almost the definition of racist.
So skin color could be the predominate reason why a tribe (or group) is formed. However that does not mean they are racist.
The whole bullshite of "we just want to be with people like us" is just excusing bad behavior. There is no genetics in play. When humans evolved, there was no mobility, so everyone you knew was going to look like you. People were probably species-ist when they displaced the neanderthals. But people were "white" in Europe only after they slowly migrated and then needed more vitamin D.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:42 am to Tigah in the ATL
quote:
genetic?
If this were true you'd be racist against tall people.
Race is an invented construct not much different than height. It is completely focused on what people look like, specifically their skin pigment.
group formation is almost assuredly genetic
racism is just a type of this, so it's both
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:42 am to pistolpete23
It is 100% learned, but you could argue that that learning occurs naturally.
Posted on 1/24/14 at 11:44 am to AlaTiger
quote:Important point.
But, let's not confuse Racism with Nationalism, Tribalism, Ethnocentricism, or Xenophobia. They are different things.
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