I don't think so. I think it's our natural instinct to be racist and that, individually, we reason with ourselves that it's unfair and irrelevant in our mixed societies.
What do you consider a race though? In the 19th century the Irish were considered to be an entirely different race to the British. Yet very few people would consider them a separate race today.
Races are a social construct. In Roman times they considered anyone a stones throw from their hometown to be an entirely different people.
Exactly. Racism is a misleading word because it's derived from race and what I meant doesn't strictly apply to race. But it's the word we're stuck with and so I had to use it. In my head, I was thinking of the origins of man when I answered the question and so "tribe" would be as good a word as any, even if those tribes are made up of people with the same genetic identity. Which, if taken to its logical conclusion (i.e. schisms within families themselves), could be seen as reductio ad absurdum.
IIN I think being racist could be considered a minor mental disability
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I don't think so. I think it's our natural instinct to be racist and that, individually, we reason with ourselves that it's unfair and irrelevant in our mixed societies.
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SuperBenzid
10 years ago
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Devyn
10 years ago
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[Old Memory]
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What do you consider a race though? In the 19th century the Irish were considered to be an entirely different race to the British. Yet very few people would consider them a separate race today.
Races are a social construct. In Roman times they considered anyone a stones throw from their hometown to be an entirely different people.
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dappled
10 years ago
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Exactly. Racism is a misleading word because it's derived from race and what I meant doesn't strictly apply to race. But it's the word we're stuck with and so I had to use it. In my head, I was thinking of the origins of man when I answered the question and so "tribe" would be as good a word as any, even if those tribes are made up of people with the same genetic identity. Which, if taken to its logical conclusion (i.e. schisms within families themselves), could be seen as reductio ad absurdum.
I agree; humans tend to be afraid of and hostile to the unknown or unusual because it might be dangerous.
This is one case where we need to step above human nature and recognise that this is irrational in our current society.
I think I've misjudged you. You are correct.
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dappled
10 years ago
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I have my moments!