There is No Such Thing as Race

[MisterBon]

A couple people on a few other threads have been accusing others of racism, or equating nationalism with racism.

Race is a myth (racism is real, unfortunately). An African man and a man of Irish descent have more in common genetically than two men of Ireland (because the African man's DNA is so ancient). This is a scientific fact. There is no basis on a genetic level for race--there are no differences (skin color or other outward attributes aren't enough to divide people up into "races"--it's ridiculous).

Race is a construct designed to divide mankind and have one group dominate over the other (sorry to be preachy).

As for equating nationalims/ culture with race--we should dismiss this stretched, contorted definition and declare it the confused sham it is. It's even more meaningless than looking at race from a genetic stand point. It's arbitrary--cultures blend in and out, influencing each other. Where is the cut off line? It's stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[xoJuicyCouturexo]

We're all African if you go back far enough. Racism is just plain dumb. There are genetic and physical differences between people of different nationalities, but that still doesn't imply race.

 

[LeGuy]

Congradulations on finding out what anthropologists have known for over a decade.


Too bad racism can't go the way of the dodo bird as well.

 

[DerekL]

You know, I think this could be a really interesting topic.

How should we approach racism. Flashlock, I have thought the same thing. What if one day, everyone just started ignoring skin color? What if everyone could all of a sudden, just completely ignore the fact that different people have a different skin color?

I wonder if it would actually change things, or if people would hate others just as much, and find different reasons for hating each other?

I personally do not think that ignoring racial differences and the cultural differences that underly them is the way to go about solving racism.

The whole concept has gotten out of hand. I do not mean to go of track, but the imus issue recently highlights the problem. The pullers of the "racist" card have taken away from the matter at hand: Some jackass has called a group of intelligent, athletic women, who are doing the best they can to better themselves (and are both white and black mind you) have been insulted by some bloody jackass with a mic. What would you think if someone called your daughter, or your sister a "nappy headed ho?"

Instead of making it something it is not, let us deal with the issues at hand.

 

[ElenaH]

And what i've known since I was 10

I'm not a racist person, I've got friends who are black and white, and of all different nationalities.

People need to learn how to break it down to the bottom line: We're all human - After all.

 

[Boltzt]

Genius.

You do realize that was 5 years ago, right?

 

[Tone]

You've just encountered the dileofftopic of categorisation, which great scholars and thinkers from around the world were conscious of centuries before Anthropology became a distinct academic discipline. @Wry.

 

[multip]

So if I start abusing the son of my local Pakistani shopkeeper, it's not racism but nationalism? That's odd, because although I'm white neither of my parents were British either. So naturally he's just as British as I am.

What would you call it, racism or nationalism?

 

[FkoB]

DUH, my point was; you don't need to be a scientist to figure that out

 

[AhmedN]

It could be both, one, or neither--why are you beating the son of your local Paikistani shopkeeper? Maybe you just don't like kids.

 

[guyp]

Ahem... this whole "race is a myth" thing is not news to me (I heard about it years ago just like the rest of you). This is directed toward those who think race is real. As for a black man having more in common with white man than another white man, I understand it perfectly well; the point is how we're so surprisingly connected despite appearances. I don't remember where I picked that up (as I said, years ago), but here is a similiar article:

http://www.sfgate.com/templates/types/popunder/orbitz/orbitz.html

 

[PeopleArePeople]

I don't think race is wrong, just as breeds of dogs isn't wrong. It can't just be chucked out the dictionary. Then again people mix a lot more today so its probably becoming redundant, still if you look at say gluten and lactose intollerance across the world it shows clear divides.

 

[sunny_ti]

Is the point of this thread to show that you know that it's not technically correct to refer to, say, anti-French or anti-European sentiment as 'racism'?


Well done.

 

[PropeshiaBean]

There is a difference between biology and culture. You cannot biologically prove that any one person is one race or another based upon genetics. While populations have different genetic markers, individuals do not due to the high rate of variation.

However, there are cultural differences between different groups of people. Thus while race as traditionally defined does not exist, cultural barriers due. Thus, there is still prejudice based upon culture and the incorrect assumption of biological race. So no, racism can't be construed as nationalism.

 

[inlove19]

Scientists did a study in Yorkshire, England a while ago, and they discovered that Black people cam to Britain a long time before it was previously believed. Some of the black people had intercourse with the Yorkshirites, and geneological lines were created. It has now been found that about one in every eight yorkshire person is from black descent, which kind of makes racism pretty duimb.

However, racial differences are not myth. Different races have specific features, obvioulsy caused by genes specific to people of that race. People from different races tend to be better at one thing than somebody from a different race e.g. most of the best basketball players in the world are African-Americans. People being wary of the dfferent appearances of people from a different race is unavoidable. All animals are wary of another animal that looks different. It is a survival mechanism that has been passed down genetically to all races of humans, and all species of animals.

 

[dobelver]

We've got two cats: one is black & white and the other is a tabby.
They're both just cats to me!
When people who visit ask, I say Jools is the brown one and Dusty is the black and white one.
They don't seem to mind...

 

[ALICIALOVEBUGSBUNNY]

I believe that race is important in that it tells us of what might be someone's culture and with that we can assume good things about them and not offend them. For example, a person I meet looks chineese/japanese/korean I will assume that they might have knowledge of MA or take or have previously taken an MA because it is more widespread there. However, I can be equally wrong and he might have been brought up in the West with no knowledge of MA.

 

[Mayarosie]

There are black Roman soldiers buried along Hadrian's wall, Every picture of Nelsons fleet or many of Wellingtons armies shows black and mixed race servicemen, Hogarth's pictures often show people of colour. Racists make racism dumb or dumber they do not need any help.

 

[SalviVillanueva]

There is an interesting program on C4 just now about British genetics.

 

[Consentingadulte]

OF course there is race, it's a human term for putting people into catergories and it's a good way of being able to identify people. Like somone has brown hair and is japanese or whatever.