Racism. How Do YOU Define it?

[JoeP]

Im just trying to simplify the concept of Racism.

Thinking aloud there basically.

 

I honestly have a deep problem with understanding it. Its so full of grey areas, no black and whites.

 

Aaargh! Pun Alert!

 

 

This is why I've regarded it as xenophobia - it's literally just fear of that which is different. Ever see the episode of Star Trek where half the aliens were black on the left side of their body and white on the right, and the others were black on the right and white on the left? (Damn subtle these 60s morality tales!!)

 

Kirk claimed he could see no difference; the aliens both claimed that it was clear that one was uperior and the other was inferior. By abstracting it in this way I think they had a good shot at pointing out the stupidity of racism.

 

I think that taking it to that sort of abstraction is teh only way to look at it - kepeing it in terms of 'real people' always gives someone the opportunity to find a slight and hang a whole belief system on it.

[EmilyM]

In Sociology we learnt that racism is believing that people of a certain race have certain characteristics because of their biological race e.g. believing that all black men are lazy.

 

Thats probably the only thing I remember from second year Sociolgy

 

I once read an interesting children's book where the children were "Noughts" or "Crosses" (I think) , the noughts were treated as if they were inferior, and you would probably assume that they were black, but this was not true. The book showed racism the other way round. The "Crosses" found the "noughts" to be inferior because of their lack of skin colouration.

[Jabberwocky]

I read somewhere.. I think it was in the naked ape or manwatching or something like that, that we have an instinctive urge to shun anyone who isnt the same as we are.

One or two different people are welcome, feted even, but any more than that, and we start to naturally go onto the defensive.

Its a tribal thing, designed to protect our genes.

 

Actually if thats the case, why did our ancestors steal females away from other tribes to mate with? Or rape the females of beaten tribes...?

[JoeP]

I read somewhere.. I think it was in the naked ape or manwatching or something like that, that we have an instinctive urge to shun anyone who isnt the same as we are.

One or two different people are welcome, feted even, but any more than that, and we start to naturally go onto the defensive.

Its a tribal thing, designed to protect our genes.

 

Actually if thats the case, why did our ancestors steal females away from other tribes to mate with? Or rape the females of beaten tribes...?

 

At one level mating with people from different tribe is useful - it mixes the gene pool. That has it's own survival traits - tribes that were 'closed in' would eventually become genetically weakened.

 

But yes, teh inistinctive urge to shun the unusual is built in to us.

[Halibut]

I think it would be very interesting to hear what some of the Forum's right wing and Nationalist members have to say about their personal definitions of racism. Any takers?

[Jabberwocky]

I think it would be very interesting to hear what some of the Forum's right wing and Nationalist members have to say about their personal definitions of racism. Any takers?

 

Bloody good idea.

That`d be interesting. Id like to see what they see in their hatred or dislike of other races. Why they hate them.

[SimpyTimpy]

I was always told in RE that Racism = Prejudice + Hatred. So you must hate a specific race due to generalisations you have made about them. I suppose it has some substance and is a good way of looking at it.

 

Problem is, racism is subjective so it's not about how it's intended anymore, but instead about how it's intepreted. I am of the opinion that the more Politically Correct society becomes, the more rebels will embrace racism.

 

If someone calls me a white dick, i'd only be offended by the latter. I'd love to come to a stage where blacks, asians and all other ethnic's can think in the same way. So what if you're black, doesn't impress or disgust me; however, you do look like 50 Cent when you do sit ups upside down on a pole while saying 'You'll find me in the club, with a bottle full of bub, girl I got what you need if you're into taking drugs, i'm into having sex I ain't into making love...'

 

However, I am not eminem

[angle20]

"Racism" is a Marxist concept which is primarily concerned with power relationships. It is generally deployed against white people, in white societies. Here's a definition from the American David Duke:

 

Do I think of myself as a racist? Absolutely not. It is because the connotation of the word means racial hatred or endorsing racial supremacy, neither of which is my view.

 

I am however a racial realist. I understand that there are intrinsic differences between peoples and that those differences have profound effects on society. I also believe all people have a basic human right to preserve their own heritage.

 

I also want to preserve my own people, but that does not make me a supremacist or a “hater” or a racist, otherwise you can accuse every leader of movements for particular ethnic groups of “racism”. But, of course, the media does not do that.

 

Racist is used today similarly to the way witch was in the middle ages. It can be levied at any person of any view and sheds no light on any subject. In fact, the word is so pejorative it actually produces the very thing it is used to decry: hate.

 

[*_ash_*]

I like posts 22, 23 and 24. I think they explain the history of evolution a bit more than racism.

As a modern day term, it's just an over used word that's so broad now, that it's boring.

[DynoDon]

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