Is racism engrained, taught or a combo of both?

Racism at its purest and most simplistic level, unlike sexism, ageism, or any other discriminatory practice is inherently ingrained into the human psyche whereas other prejudiced practices are the repercussions of the mentalities of the inhabitants of our societies. Racism in its truest form is an evolutionarily attained survival technique genetically carried down through the generations from our initial, primordial hunter gatherer ancestors all the way to our current technologically advanced generation. All people of all colors are racist to a certain extent, some more than others. I feel as if it is only natural for humans like all animals to feel a sense of caution and unease when engaging someone or something that is perceptually dissimilar in physical attributes as themselves as change or differentiation from the norm throws up a subconscious flag of impending danger. I believe that it was this primitive safety mechanism that allowed our earliest human ancestors to thrive and continue their species by differentiating between other tribes and groups when our species was still foraging for food and using this knowledge of difference as a danger assessment implementation as hostility was rampant.

Unfortunately as we progressed as a species, this genetic imprint continued to be passed along and eventually reached a level of antiquated ideas. Once humans freed themselves of the majority of their animalistic instincts and became civilized, racism should have died off but it didn't, it evolved as we did. No longer was it a survival tool, it was now an inherent evil present in all people. It is my opinion that although racism exists in us all to certain extents, we have the choice whether or not to let it exist on a visible level or let it be a determinate factor in the way we live our lives or conduct ourselves. It is the accompaniment of external influences that brings racism to the severity in which it can exist. People can have very few racist beliefs but allow one isolated incident to determine their belief system in relation to equality among the races. It is our individually unique environments, upbringings and most importantly our individual mentalities that cause racism to continue to exist and rear its ugly head. Hatred on the other hand is taught and experienced; it isn't something people are born with. People can choose whether or not to give in to their animalistic impulses of survival and superiority and that is why there is such a variance in people's views on other races. It is up to us to realize that in actuality, race is little more than differentiation of pigmentation levels. Deep down inside, people aren't afraid of other races, they are afraid of different cultures- certain cultures just happen to be accompanied by specific skin tones. It is okay to be curious about other races; we just cannot look down upon other races because of their differences. Instead we need to embrace other cultures, immersing ourselves in them until we have a thorough understanding of them. This will allow for us as a species to eradicate racism as a whole. It was our fore fathers ill advised decision to separate people of races in this country and although that wrong has recently been righted, the ramifications of that separation are still present. We as a country, as a people and as a species need to realize that only by communication between other races, cultures and creeds will we be able to eradicate racism in its entirety

Very eloquently put but I have to disagree. Pride in one's culture and gravitation towards people who look like you is ingrained, however hatred towards those who do not is taught. If you look at young children who have not yet been exposed to the evils of this world, they will play and make friends with anybody. A child will remain open to interaction with other people until a parent or role model plants the seed in their mind that they are better than others and should not associate with them. Love is automatic in humans but hatred has to sown and cultivated.

One Angry Black Man wrote:Very eloquently put but I have to disagree. Pride in one's culture and gravitation towards people who look like you is ingrained, however hatred towards those who do not is taught. If you look at young children who have not yet been exposed to the evils of this world, they will play and make friends with anybody. A child will remain open to interaction with other people until a parent or role model plants the seed in their mind that they are better than others and should not associate with them. Love is automatic in humans but hatred has to sown and cultivated.

I wish I could add on to this, but you typed this to perfection.

Thank you and I can see where you are coming from.

" It is my opinion that although racism exists in us all to certain extents, we have the choice whether or not to let it exist on a visible level or let it be a determinate factor in the way we live our lives or conduct ourselves. It is the accompaniment of external influences that brings racism to the severity in which it can exist. "

Life On Wax wrote:

One Angry Black Man wrote:Very eloquently put but I have to disagree. Pride in one's culture and gravitation towards people who look like you is ingrained, however hatred towards those who do not is taught. If you look at young children who have not yet been exposed to the evils of this world, they will play and make friends with anybody. A child will remain open to interaction with other people until a parent or role model plants the seed in their mind that they are better than others and should not associate with them. Love is automatic in humans but hatred has to sown and cultivated.

I wish I could add on to this, but you typed this to perfection.

life on wax is agreeing with me....this def is a brand new forum

superfluousloquacity wrote:Thank you and I can see where you are coming from.

" It is my opinion that although racism exists in us all to certain extents, we have the choice whether or not to let it exist on a visible level or let it be a determinate factor in the way we live our lives or conduct ourselves. It is the accompaniment of external influences that brings racism to the severity in which it can exist. "

I don't agree with bolded at all. If we were truly born with racism in our hearts, the ancient Afrikans would not have shared their knowledge with the Greeks, they would've just bodied them. Same can be said with indigenous people of this land. Both groups welcomed the strangers with open arms.

One Angry Black Man wrote:

superfluousloquacity wrote:Thank you and I can see where you are coming from.

" It is my opinion that although racism exists in us all to certain extents, we have the choice whether or not to let it exist on a visible level or let it be a determinate factor in the way we live our lives or conduct ourselves. It is the accompaniment of external influences that brings racism to the severity in which it can exist. "

I don't agree with bolded at all. If we were truly born with racism in our hearts, the ancient Afrikans would not have shared their knowledge with the Greeks, they would've just bodied them. Same can be said with indigenous people of this land. Both groups welcomed the strangers with open arms.

They africans were trading goods with the greeks and the native americans originally thought the europeans were gods...until they got smallpox and massacred.

superfluousloquacity wrote:Racism at its purest and most simplistic level, unlike sexism, ageism, or any other discriminatory practice is inherently ingrained into the human psyche whereas other prejudiced practices are the repercussions of the mentalities of the inhabitants of our societies.

This is incorrect.

Sexism is DEFINITELY produced by our evolution and reinforced by socialization. That's like the most obvious shit, dunny.

Ageism too.

Racism is just the extension of tribalism which also has its roots in our evolution as a highly social but group-oriented primate species.



But you already know the answer is that this shit is natural and also artificial and that once we understand that, we can change.

KTULU wrote:

superfluousloquacity wrote:Racism at its purest and most simplistic level, unlike sexism, ageism, or any other discriminatory practice is inherently ingrained into the human psyche whereas other prejudiced practices are the repercussions of the mentalities of the inhabitants of our societies.

This is incorrect.

Sexism is DEFINITELY produced by our evolution and reinforced by socialization. That's like the most obvious shit, dunny.

Ageism too.

Racism is just the extension of tribalism which also has its roots in our evolution as a highly social but group-oriented primate species.



But you already know the answer is that this shit is natural and also artificial and that once we understand that, we can change.

My nigga

hate is taught

it's generational. My parents aren't outright racist, but I hear little things like "don't bring a white girl home" but it's not something I ever cared for because women are women...but that's the thing, children are taught that these types of feelings are right. For example, I broke up with my girlfriend recently because her parents didn't like the fact that I was black (she's Venezuelan by the way) and it didn't bother her, the reason we broke up is because of how clsoe she is to her parents and they were literally willing to disown her for seeing me.

Racism is taught and comes from a lack of understanding. I once knew an asian kid who didn't like blacks, he was taught since birth blacks were bad people, he was never allowed to interact with Blacks...he didn't understand black people or their culture. He feared blacks because of his lack of understanding, that same asian kid is one of my closet friends now. After he got exposed to blacks and gained an understanding he was no longer racist.

A negative image of blacks is perpetuated through the media, when someone is taught and exposed to racism without being exposed to that group of people fear, hate and a lack of understanding develops.

Racism stems from hate and a lack of understanding. Men fear what they don't understand..its human nature.

One thing I found out is your own race will kill you just as fast as another.


So whats the point in hating another race.



But it is taught.

I'm glad we are all in consensus here. Just to state a fact...I wrote that article for the purpose it has taken in this forum...to get niggas talking. A good writer can make something he completely disagrees with seem like something he believes wholeheartedly. I dont want anyone to misconstrue the debates I post in here as my beliefs...they are merely arguable points that I craft in a certain way as to bring about debate. If I said Obama is always right, capitalism is bad, and white people teach racism all the posts would prolly be "C/S' which negates the entire forum.

I think the term racism is over used. People judging others or feeling superior to others based on skin color etc isn't as widespread. However, prejudice is alive and kicking. Calling Rush limbaugh and company racist is stupid b/c they will pull out their token black crony and say "see you people complain too much"

In America, prejudice is ingrained mainly through the school system, religion and the media. We are taught in church, that God is white. In school, you learn that the founding fathers of America were white. Also, in American history, white people have never taken a severe L. You learn that white people fought couragiously against all odds, which creates a superior feeling. The media is self-explanatory, blacks are portrayed as thugs, dumb athletes etc.

To make matters worse, we are taught that Africa isn't shit and the only noteworthy Africans were the mixed Egyptians.


What contributes to the lack of understanding about race is the fact that a large segment of white people grow up in predominately white neighborhoods. The average white person doesn't truly know 20 black people. I mean "know" as growing up with them and truly getting to know them.

Professor Knowledge wrote:

In America, prejudice is ingrained mainly through the school system, religion and the media. We are taught in church, that God is white. In school, you learn that the founding fathers of America were white. Also, in American history, white people have never taken a severe L. You learn that white people fought couragiously against all odds, which creates a superior feeling. The media is self-explanatory, blacks are portrayed as thugs, dumb athletes etc.

To make matters worse, we are taught that Africa isn't shit and the only noteworthy Africans were the mixed Egyptians.
.

all that is true.
Thats y i call history class His story class. all tha classes i take are all the same recycled white people did this and that story. And i went to a redneck school, it was all true racism. A white kid culd call u a racist word n front of a teacher and nuthin wuld happen because tha teacher was sayin racist stuff behind your back. We use to have race fights every week almost.

rep4qc wrote:

Professor Knowledge wrote:

In America, prejudice is ingrained mainly through the school system, religion and the media. We are taught in church, that God is white. In school, you learn that the founding fathers of America were white. Also, in American history, white people have never taken a severe L. You learn that white people fought couragiously against all odds, which creates a superior feeling. The media is self-explanatory, blacks are portrayed as thugs, dumb athletes etc.

To make matters worse, we are taught that Africa isn't shit and the only noteworthy Africans were the mixed Egyptians.
.

all that is true.
Thats y i call history class His story class. all tha classes i take are all the same recycled white people did this and that story. And i went to a redneck school, it was all true racism. A white kid culd call u a racist word n front of a teacher and nuthin wuld happen because tha teacher was sayin racist stuff behind your back. We use to have race fights every week almost.

I read an article called "The Educated Slave" that speaks on this exact issue. White supremacy has to be taught and passed on from generation to generation in order to be effective. I will find it and create a separate thread.

Social construction. I'd have a very hard time believing any type of category you can think of: race, sex, gender, class, etc, is anything but a social category, which by extension, would cease to make anything relative to these categories inherent. This is a looong as video, and definitely worth a full watch, but at least skip around it if you're interested in such things...


Stuart Hall is that dude...

One Angry Black Man wrote:

rep4qc wrote:

Professor Knowledge wrote:

In America, prejudice is ingrained mainly through the school system, religion and the media. We are taught in church, that God is white. In school, you learn that the founding fathers of America were white. Also, in American history, white people have never taken a severe L. You learn that white people fought couragiously against all odds, which creates a superior feeling. The media is self-explanatory, blacks are portrayed as thugs, dumb athletes etc.

To make matters worse, we are taught that Africa isn't shit and the only noteworthy Africans were the mixed Egyptians.
.

all that is true.
Thats y i call history class His story class. all tha classes i take are all the same recycled white people did this and that story. And i went to a redneck school, it was all true racism. A white kid culd call u a racist word n front of a teacher and nuthin wuld happen because tha teacher was sayin racist stuff behind your back. We use to have race fights every week almost.

I read an article called "The Educated Slave" that speaks on this exact issue. White supremacy has to be taught and passed on from generation to generation in order to be effective. I will find it and create a separate thread.

@ rep4qc- this may sound hypocritical or even dumb but it's important to learn white history....so you can read about true history and then be able to accurately speak on it.

@ one angry black man- i do think that a certain part of white people pass it down without even knowing that it's false history. I'm a check out that article when you post it

It's not engrained until parents or guardians start infiltrating your brain with differences between people and who you should talk to vs who you should not. Maaaan back when I was 4 or 5 I saw all the variety but did I think twice about it? Naaah. Whoever was my friend was my friend.

Not knowing that you're passing on false history, whether you're black or white, is the greatest disservice you can do to the future generations. Nothing is worse than growing up and realizing you've been lied to your entire life.

One Angry Black Man wrote:Not knowing that you're passing on false history, whether you're black or white, is the greatest disservice you can do to the future generations. Nothing is worse than growing up and realizing you've been lied to your entire life.

no doubt i was just clarifying myself. It's actually sad how people mindlessly regurgitate the bs they've been taught.

Professor Knowledge wrote:

One Angry Black Man wrote:Not knowing that you're passing on false history, whether you're black or white, is the greatest disservice you can do to the future generations. Nothing is worse than growing up and realizing you've been lied to your entire life.

no doubt i was just clarifying myself. It's actually sad how people mindlessly regurgitate the bs they've been taught.

I remember reading Stokley Carmichael's autobiography and he had a chapter about unlearning the bs he was taught as a child. It made me sit and think about all the beliefs I held at the time and how many of them were actually original thoughts or just something i believed because I was taught to believe it. It me a minute to wash away the nonsense the hood taught me that was true and reshape my thought process.

Both