What is the point

[BoyNextDoor]

Race isn't always and hasn't always been an important marker when it comes to power. And race shifts depending on where you are or who you talk to, it's not a fixed characteristic.

I am just saying that it is one of the differentiators used in the never-ending power struggle. And that it is unique in that it is difficult to impossible to change the fundamental characteristics for any given individual, and therefore, there are greater social consequences for being a member of any given race.

So, I'm going to disagree with you about race not always being "an important marker when it comes to power". My race does not shift depending on where I am or who I am talking to, but the power dynamic sure as hell can and does!

 

[Saint Peter]

A buick? I never pictured you as elderly enough to have a buick.

The other faults are bad enough without the buick. . .

Hounds>Cats

Built in the early 70's by real Americans.

What's not to love?

 

[kbate]

Built in the early 70's by real Americans.

What's not to love?

This thread is about unreasoned hating. I've got to hate.

 

[Lancecastor]

If it's possible for someones skin to become that dark over time, why does racism make sense?

Perhaps your dark skin prevents you from grasping the concept.

Or it could be your vagina.

 

[evesdream]

I am just saying that it is one of the differentiators used in the never-ending power struggle. And that it is unique in that it is difficult to impossible to change the fundamental characteristics for any given individual, and therefore, there are greater social consequences for being a member of any given race.

So, I'm going to disagree with you about race not always being "an important marker when it comes to power". My race does not shift depending on where I am or who I am talking to, but the power dynamic sure as hell can and does!

My experience has been one of ambiguity and I'm not always labelled by other people as the race I identify with. And in different countries I've been called "white" and treated as such just because I'm a Westerner, even though my complexion isn't white.

In the Caribbean there are shade and class differences that mean nothing in the United States. America has taken race to fetish level, but it's not as reliable a differential as you seem to think. Not for everyone, not everywhere.

 

[cleaver]

...

Racism is silly.

racism is easy...
and people are lazy.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Stranger danger.

 

[1sickbastard]

http://www.ehow.com/how_8132923_melanin.html

According to this site, your skin produces melanin to protect it's self.

My professors also say that high melanin levels are an adaptation *shrug*

It's more that low melanin levels are the adaption, for when humans moved out of Africa and settled in areas with reduced solar radiation (high latitudes). Pale skin allows the body to synthesize the necessary levels of vitamin D at such latitudes.

 

[1sickbastard]

My belief is that the point of racism is to use mostly unalterable physical characteristics to to separate and differentiate each other, as well as to find and bind ourselves to groups similar to ourselves, as part of the power struggle that is the basic human condition.

I agree with you that there are no genotypical differences, just phenotypical differences.
But I don't think that melanin content is what "racism" is about. it is just a very convenient grouping. Differences in speech, mannerisms, dress, hair style, body language, affectation of opposite gender - whatever, it all is used, by all of us, for the same purpose - to win the power struggle, or at least survive it.

I think "race" is differentiated because you can consciously change behaviors, speech and dress to move from one group to another as permitted by wealth, but you can't really effect those phenotypical markers, like skin color, the shape of your face, etc.

And I am not sure there is really any escape from it because "This world is the will to power - and nothing besides."

Humans are social critters, and tend to default to the 'we/they' mentality. This may have been important at one time in human evolution.

If you stop and think about it, racism was a fairly natural rationalization for the institution of slavery. If one hunts and traps naked Africans as one would various other animal species, it's not a great leap to believe that the Africans are little more than animals as well. Combine that with no formal education of children in most 18th and 19th century tribes, and it's not difficult to fool oneself into believing that the differences between whites and blacks are not merely circumstantial, but physiological and perhaps even theological.

Racism tended to get handed down from generation to generation. Everything you say in your OP is true, but racism never was nor is it today the result of merely erroneous information or assumptions. It's a choice that was once chosen to deprive some people of their fair share of the economic "pie."

To those still practicing that hopeless strategy today, it doesn't matter that they're fighting a losing battle. If they can't be effective by peddling ignorance, they can still, at least, be bitter and hateful.

True in the context of slavery, especially in form of slavery that developed during the era of Eurocentric colonialism. However, if one were to read texts translated from ancient history (Homer, Herodotus, the Old Testament, etc) the concept of race had far less to do with skin color than differences in language or affiliation with a social unit (like a tribe or city-state) as exemplified by the Spartans and their helots.

 

[evesdream]

True in the context of slavery, especially in form of slavery that developed during the era of Eurocentric colonialism. However, if one were to read texts translated from ancient history (Homer, Herodotus, the Old Testament, etc) the concept of race had far less to do with skin color than differences in language or affiliation with a social unit (like a tribe or city-state) as exemplified by the Spartans and their helots.

I've heard this too.

If you stop and think about it, racism was a fairly natural rationalization for the institution of slavery. If one hunts and traps naked Africans as one would various other animal species, it's not a great leap to believe that the Africans are little more than animals as well. Combine that with no formal education of children in most 18th and 19th century tribes, and it's not difficult to fool oneself into believing that the differences between whites and blacks are not merely circumstantial, but physiological and perhaps even theological.

Racism tended to get handed down from generation to generation. Everything you say in your OP is true, but racism never was nor is it today the result of merely erroneous information or assumptions. It's a choice that was once chosen to deprive some people of their fair share of the economic "pie."

To those still practicing that hopeless strategy today, it doesn't matter that they're fighting a losing battle. If they can't be effective by peddling ignorance, they can still, at least, be bitter and hateful.

Wow how did I miss your post? I don't think the rationalization was natural or easy. It was extremely systematic and involved multiple levels of brutalization, from the slave castles on the coast, through the Middle Passage, to breaking grounds in the Caribbean to final distributions in the Americas, where the dehumanization process (on both sides) continued and constantly needed to be re-inforced.

 

[run_silent]

The tolerance crowd is tolerant of many things that could be debated. They have no tolerance when challenged. The name calling starts starts and no debate ensues.

 

[kotori]

It's ok, she is a psychology major.

Certainly not an English major.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8132923_melanin.html

According to this site, your skin produces melanin to protect it's self...

Dear: "itself." Please.

 

[parodyluvr75]

Certainly not an English major.


Dear: "itself." Please.

English might be her second language.

 

[kotori]

English might be her second language.

Than I'm glad I was able to assist in my little way to explaining one of the intricacies of the language in which she posted.

 

[evesdream]

Than I'm glad I was able to assist in my little way to explaining one of the intricacies of the language in which she posted.

kotori, a giver to the last.

 

[Instant_Star]

Certainly not an English major.


Dear: "itself." Please.

*Sigh* damn, and I thought I'd caught all my errors.

 

[Instant_Star]

English might be her second language.

English is my first language, I'm just horrible at it.

I also speak Spanish, and if I had more patience, I'd like to learn Latin.

 

[GiggLeGasm]

First of all, there isn't really a useful point to racism other than to highlight differences which cause people to be uncomfortable around one another. The challenge comes when we are asked to seek understanding and facilitate change. but.. didn't we already know that?

Regarding "no genetic difference," good gravy.. don't tell the world of medical research the big news. NEJM will have a boatload of retractions to print!