Is Racism wired into you genetically ?

[RootsBooster 24]

I would say it is a natural instinct. Then it depends how you are raised whether you loose it or not. Personal experience can change someone though I feel.

 

Any explanation behind that?

[Pessimistic1 10]

Any explanation behind that?

 

1. Its a natural extinct.

2. Your early years can change this.

3. If someone experiences negative aspects of another race, this can change someone from a none racist to a racist. For example if someone sufferers racism it may turn them into a racist towards the race in question.

[RootsBooster 24]

1. Its a natural extinct.

2. Your early years can change this.

3. If someone experiences negative aspects of another race, this can change someone from a none racist to a racist. For example if someone sufferers racism it may turn them into a racist towards the race in question.

I'll take that as a 'no' then.

(also, I think you meant to say 'instinct' not 'extinct')

[ronthenekred 10]

.

3. If someone experiences negative aspects of another race,

 

And if you experience negative aspects of your own race? then what?

[PopT 10]

It is a natural instinct and effects peoples of all tribes, colours and other differences.

The Jews have always referred to it as 'The dislike of the unlike'.

This doesn't mean we have to accept it in todays society when we are all living in a multi race, multi cultured environment.

 

Happy Days! PopT

[RootsBooster 24]

It is a natural instinct and effects peoples of all tribes, colours and other differences.

The Jews have always referred to it as 'The dislike of the unlike'.

This doesn't mean we have to accept it in todays society when we are all living in a multi race, multi cultured environment.

 

Happy Days! PopT

 

Can you explain your reasoning behind the claim that it's a natural instinct?

[melthebell 862]

Can you explain your reasoning behind the claim that it's a natural instinct?

as i see it, it comes back to early humans, and being scared of things / people that were different from you

 

ie:- somebody from a different tribe comes near, are the friend or foe? its a defence mechanism

BUT as pop says it is generally not needed in this more civilised time but some people just cant let go of it, are they wired up differently? i dunno

[skinz 10]

as i see it, it comes back to early humans, and being scared of things / people that were different from you

 

ie:- somebody from a different tribe comes near, are the friend or foe? its a defence mechanism

BUT as pop says it is generally not needed in this more civilised time but some people just cant let go of it, are they wired up differently? i dunno

 

So it isn't natural then? It's learned/taught?

 

If your father hates Pakistani's and for some reason he was killed when you were just born, it's highly likely you'll grow to hate Jews if your mothers or her new partner hates Jews.

 

I believe we are born genetically with fear. The rest is man made emanating from that fear...just a case of how well or not it's nurtured.

[melthebell 862]

So it isn't natural then? It's learned/taught?

 

If your father hates Pakistani's and for some reason he was killed when you were just born, it's highly likely you'll grow to hate Jews if your mothers or her new partner hates Jews.

 

I believe we are born genetically with fear. The rest is man made emanating from that fear...just a case of how well or not it's nurtured.

huh? no i meant its a natural urge built into human kind in the begining to be wary of possible threats, i never mentioned anybody learning it

i know what youre saying, certain hate against certain people is learnt, but theres an underlying natural waryness built in, where do you think the first person to learn it off got it?? lol

 

as i said, its defence, somebody from a different tribe comes along you dont know if theyre friend or foe, but you can tell theyre different from you, you stay wary of them

[skinz 10]

huh? no i meant its a natural urge built into human kind in the begining to be wary of possible threats, i never mentioned anybody learning it

 

I'm simply saying that fear is a genetic component when you're born. You are not genetically born with an adverse dislike or hate of a race, creed or colour. Racism isn't hard wired genetically.

 

i know what youre saying, certain hate against certain people is learnt, but theres an underlying natural waryness built in, where do you think the first person to learn it off got it?? lol

 

As I said they didn't learn fear, fear was already there in the DNA. Fear can certainly be used and manipulated to one's advantage...that's where hate manifests itself..a man made construct, not a genetic one. Fear does not equal hate. If I was to fear thieves and liars which I hate I'd end up being paranoid simply because there are many of them out there. Reasoning is the prime discipline which fear is kept in check, ignorance on the other hand rewards you with <fill in with your own construct>.

 

as i said, its defence, somebody from a different tribe comes along you dont know if theyre friend or foe, but you can tell theyre different from you, you stay wary of them

 

You walk around all day long without blinking an eye.. you wouldn't suggest that you're on alert at all times? I'd guess you're not. You are alert if you're part of a pack which indicates a threat even though you don't understand initially what the threat is. Same with dad whose a raving racist who says without explanation..that guys a different colour...gas him.

My next door neighbour Mr Das is very different from me to look at..he's Asian, should I be wary of him? many on here would say yes simply because of his race. I guess subconsciously we are all on alert as to danger, danger doesn't equal foreigner though, unless that specific foreigner if frothing at the gills coming at you with a bloodstained machete in his hands.

[Anna B 1,401]

After seeing the topic asking if Homophobia is genetic, I thought I would start this one to pan out if 'Racism' is more than a leant or taught trait.

 

I have often wondered if being wary of people from other cultures and races is a natural instinct that is redundant in today's world, but never the less is there in us all, past down from the days when social groups were more separated and had less interaction.

Your thoughts please, without dragging it into the gutter or getting the topic closed/deleted.

 

I think you could be right. I think part of our genetic programming makes us wary of strangers, particularly if they are different from us. It's partly fear born out of a survival mechanism, tribalism and territoriality. We are afraid of what we don't know and we are innitially unable to guage whether a stranger is friend or foe.

That is not to say that in a civilised world we shouldn't be able to rise above it.

[RootsBooster 24]

as i see it, it comes back to early humans, and being scared of things / people that were different from you

 

ie:- somebody from a different tribe comes near, are the friend or foe? its a defence mechanism

BUT as pop says it is generally not needed in this more civilised time but some people just cant let go of it, are they wired up differently? i dunno

 

Yeah but what reason is there to believe that it's natural instinct? Wouldn't that behaviour be learned from or influenced by the rest of the tribe?

 

If a blue kid lived on his own (without a tribe) and met a green kid who seemed friendly enough, would he naturally fear/hate him?

 

---------- Post added 22-04-2014 at 06:20 ----------

 

I think you could be right. I think part of our genetic programming makes us wary of strangers, particularly if they are different from us. It's partly fear born out of a survival mechanism, tribalism and territoriality. We are afraid of what we don't know and we are innitially unable to guage whether a stranger is friend or foe.

That is not to say that in a civilised world we shouldn't be able to rise above it.

 

I think you're confusing rational, initial warininess/cautiousness with racism, which is irrational and continues even after it's been confirmed that there is no threat.