I Want To Talk About The Touchy Subject Of Race

~~Cuthbert~~ · 07-16-2015, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exo

I feel people vastly confuse racism and stereotyping though. If I get cut off by a mini van near me, I'm more inclined to believe that either the person behind the wheel is either Asian or Indian. Why? Because it's generally true where I live. That's just observation.

Same here. Not your particular example, but the crux of your post rings true for me also.

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 07-16-2015, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exo

Myself included.

I'm not racist in the slightest. I feel people vastly confuse racism and stereotyping though. If I get cut off by a mini van near me, I'm more inclined to believe that either the person behind the wheel is either Asian or Indian. Why? Because it's generally true where I live. That's just observation. However, if I felt that all Indian and Asian people should have their licenses taken away, that'd be racist.

I define racism as treating somebody different, usually negatively, JUST because of their race. Association, while still a bit socially unacceptable, isn't racist. It just isn't.

nonsense.

DwnWthVwls · 07-16-2015, 04:01 PM

Emojis come with skin tones. Racism.

**Exo** · 07-16-2015, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DwnWthVwls

Let me ask you this (I've brought it up before on here). When you are telling a story to your friends about someone who isn't white do you always feel the need to point out their race? I feel this is a kind of sub-conscious racism that a lot people do, and it's not even offensive.

Some random white person: "and my friend Jimmy, this black guy, yada yada yada" -- I know a TON of people who do this, and when I've called them out on it they just look confused. Unless race is relevant to the story why do people feel the need to point it out?

I try not to but it happens. Mostly when the fact that he's black makes the story better. My ex boss is black and if I'm telling a story about his reaction I'll mention his race because face it, black people are funnier than white people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wilkes Booth

nonsense.

Elaborate.

~~ChelseaDagger~~ · 07-16-2015, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exo

Myself included.

I'm not racist in the slightest. I feel people vastly confuse racism and stereotyping though. If I get cut off by a mini van near me, I'm more inclined to believe that either the person behind the wheel is either Asian or Indian. Why? Because it's generally true where I live. That's just observation. However, if I felt that all Indian and Asian people should have their licenses taken away, that'd be racist.

I define racism as treating somebody different, usually negatively, JUST because of their race. Association, while still a bit socially unacceptable, isn't racist. It just isn't.

Well articulated.

I hate how talking heads/political figures/etc. are always shouting about how we need to "have an honest talk about racism; we have to talk honestly about race, race race race" til they're blue in the face, but every time an actual dialogue starts, in pop all the PC hall monitors to make sure everything goes according to a preapproved script. Everyone ends up shouting over each other indignantly but nobody really says anything. Because they've been conditioned not to...

This video says it all to me... Although certainly a few monsters have been offended by it

~~E5I5O~~ · 07-16-2015, 07:42 PM

Quote:

sir your beard indicates to me that you are part of isis

Not Isil, but, yeah - it's grown quite a bit. I want to get it to ZZ Top status. Not really a ZZ Top fan but I like letting my beard grow.

Quote:

When you are telling a story to your friends about someone who isn't white do you always feel the need to point out their race? I feel this is a kind of sub-conscious racism that a lot people do, and it's not even offensive

You're right. people don't even realize it's racist, but it is.

I'm racist, but not in a bad way. I just feel you can learn a lot about people through race. I'm not afraid of the subject. I don't feel it's ever beneficial to a person to be afraid or sensitive about anything. Sure, you can use diplomacy and discretion when need be, but if you're a good person and genuinely try hard to do the right, then why should you be afraid of or sensitive to anything? Don't let somebody else's negativite feelings create negative feelings in you - you're doing yourself a great disservice if you do so. It's called being insecure, and that's not good.

I feel that focusing on race too much though, whether it be not hiring someone or not selling them a house because you don't want those people in your work place or neighborhood, or wanting to meet the criteria of what you feel is racial balance in the work place or college is also racism (affirmative action) - those people you select are called tokens. And that also is not a good thing.

The Batlord · 07-16-2015, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DwnWthVwls

Let me ask you this (I've brought it up before on here). When you are telling a story to your friends about someone who isn't white do you always feel the need to point out their race? I feel this is a kind of sub-conscious racism that a lot people do, and it's not even offensive.

Some random white person: "and my friend Jimmy, this black guy, yada yada yada" -- I know a TON of people who do this, and when I've called them out on it they just look confused. Unless race is relevant to the story why do people feel the need to point it out?

Picture a random person in your head RIGHT NOW. Is that person white? Are they male? People tend to think of themselves when they picture the baseline human, so when they're talking about someone not of their race -- especially when they're with other people of their own race, who also think of random people as being their own race and sex -- then they subconsciously feel the need to clarify for the sake of storytelling.

DwnWthVwls · 07-16-2015, 07:56 PM

I just tried your test and this chick I want to bang came into my head. She is white though so your half right.

Also, I've never felt that way which is probably why I noticed it to begin with.

~~John Wilkes Booth~~ · 07-16-2015, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exo

I try not to but it happens. Mostly when the fact that he's black makes the story better. My ex boss is black and if I'm telling a story about his reaction I'll mention his race because face it, black people are funnier than white people.

Elaborate.

well.. i think your definition of racism is basically inaccurate

you are only including one part of racism in your definition, which is actively seeking to undermine the rights of another race

racism can be strictly ideological

and it can be strictly based on stereotyping

imo anyway... based on the way the word is actually defined.

Quote:

Originally Posted by google/god

rac·ism
ˈrāˌsizəm/Submit
noun
the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.

so you need not be hostile towards the other race to be racist. or even treat them differently. you only need to believe that they have some inferior quality to your own race, such as if you think asians are inherently bad drivers... that's by definition a racist belief regardless of how you treat them

to be fair i'll say that you are right though that just guessing that using statistics to guess the race of a person isn't necessarily racist

but i just disagreed with what you said about how you actually define racism

dunno why i was so antagonistic about it though... i honestly barely remember making that post

so my apologies in that regard

**Exo** · 07-16-2015, 09:11 PM

I can see what you're saying. I will however say that what I was talking about is a harmless observation. I'd say that it can be directly related to where they live in the example I was talking about. Have you ever seen videos of traffic in Asia? India and China have some of the most dangerous driving conditions on the planet besides Russia. It's the wild west out there. I think they're regarded as bad drivers because they brought those driving habits over. I'd call that geographical observation at the most.

I'm really stretching that example out but that's how I honestly see it. I like people. I could care less what they look like. I just see patterns and race can sometimes fall into those patterns.

07-16-2015, 09:11 PM	#30 (permalink)
Exo All day jazz and biscuits Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 7,354	I can see what you're saying. I will however say that what I was talking about is a harmless observation. I'd say that it can be directly related to where they live in the example I was talking about. Have you ever seen videos of traffic in Asia? India and China have some of the most dangerous driving conditions on the planet besides Russia. It's the wild west out there. I think they're regarded as bad drivers because they brought those driving habits over. I'd call that geographical observation at the most. I'm really stretching that example out but that's how I honestly see it. I like people. I could care less what they look like. I just see patterns and race can sometimes fall into those patterns. __________________ LastFM SUPREME POO BAH MODERATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE