Racism, sexism, xenophobia and generalisations

[Poppyseed78]

Another perspective could be that the aboriginal woman has experienced discrimination in the past, and her behavior today is due to that. So perhaps she is more reserved and less friendly on account of her own experiences in society. Maybe, maybe not.

In any case, you need to just keep yourself safe. If your instinct tells you that someone is a potential threat to your safety, for whatever reason, then avoid them.

 

[Zoii]

Another perspective could be that the aboriginal woman has experienced discrimination in the past, and her behavior today is due to that. So perhaps she is more reserved and less friendly on account of her own experiences in society. Maybe, maybe not.

In any case, you need to just keep yourself safe. If your instinct tells you that someone is a potential threat to your safety, for whatever reason, then avoid them.

I'm pretty sure many do feel that way because historically they were treated poorly.

 

[Redac]

Now, with high crime areas (they tend to not be suburbs), we tend to avoid them because they are high crime. Many of them happen to contain more black people than other areas that do not have high crime, one can expect to see more black people walking around in those areas. If someone were to be avoiding those areas because of the black people rather than because of the crime, that would be racist. If you avoid black strangers in a nice area of town differently than you avoid white strangers in that same area, that would also be racist.

Trying desperately to avoid noticing patterns doesn't make those patterns disappear.

Let's try a hypothetical. You are driving through a large American city late at night when your car breaks down. You have to walk a bit to get help, and there are two routes you can take. The first takes you through a neighborhood that's about 95% white, the other goes through a neighborhood that's about 95% black. You don't have any crime stats available, you just know the demographics. Which neighborhood do you go through and why?

 

[Sketcher]

Trying desperately to avoid noticing patterns doesn't make those patterns disappear.

Let's try a hypothetical. You are driving through a large American city late at night when your car breaks down. You have to walk a bit to get help, and there are two routes you can take. The first takes you through a neighborhood that's about 95% white, the other goes through a neighborhood that's about 95% black. You don't have any crime stats available, you just know the demographics. Which neighborhood do you go through and why?

Why would I know the demographics?

I'd go through the one that appeared to be more affluent, or at least more well-lit.

 

[Zoii]

Why would I know the demographics?

I'd go through the one that appeared to be more affluent, or at least more well-lit.

Are you telling me Im sexist because I see men at night walking towards me and immediately think danger - no matter how they look or what they are exhibiting.... hmm maybe I am..... I dont care though coz I know how guys can be

 

[Sketcher]

Are you telling me Im sexist because I see men at night walking towards me and immediately think danger - no matter how they look or what they are exhibiting.... hmm maybe I am..... I dont care though coz I know how guys can be

No, not in that context.

 

[Redac]

Why would I know the demographics?

It's an assumption for the sake of demonstrating a point. That aside, it's possible to know if a neighborhood is a black neighborhood or a hispanic neighborhood or whatever.

I'd go through the one that appeared to be more affluent, or at least more well-lit.

So how do you know which one that is without going there first?

 

[Zoii]

My point on all this is that when we respond to an individual or group, we do so in part because we are profiling. You may be profiling using in part ethnicity. So eg most terrorist bombers are Islamic =profiling...... All Moslems are terrorists = racist..... And I acknowledge the fine line

 

[Redac]

My point on all this is that when we respond to an individual or group, we do so in part because we are profiling. You may be profiling using in part ethnicity. So eg most terrorist bombers are Islamic =profiling...... All Moslems are terrorists = racist..... And I acknowledge the fine line

That's kinda my point too. Absent other information about an individual and their personal tendencies, sometimes you have to fall back on broad generalizations and patterns of behavior, particularly if personal safety is a concern. Women being wary of men while alone at night, generally not going through certain areas, and so on. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Sketcher]

So how do you know which one that is without going there first?

By looking down the street before walking it.

 

[Shard]

I also wrote this because I have seen frequent threads here about police drawing their weapons and discharging them against a black american. Could this be part of the same thing?

Lol, most the times its because they had a good reason too. dont listen to the media narratives and actually research those shootings. the black americans most of the time werent as innocent as portrayed.

 

[ananda]

I can't answer that as each person is different. Which is why I wrote what i did. I've built up perceptions and generalised them. This is what I was getting at.... What's the line between generalising about a group for whatever reason, and straight out racism. Is it one of the same?

"Racism" is potentially one example of generalization.

It is in our innate nature as humans to generalize. We take our prior experiences with X, and based on those experiences, the mind generalizes and produces learned, instinctual expectations regarding future encounters with X. This is normal, and a self-preservation technique. The instinctual mind helps us to respond much faster than the conscious mind, and that can mean the difference between life or death.

For example, if we see a dog running toward us, we may instinctually respond to it with open arms (xenophilic) - because we've collected many good experiences with dogs. If we run away (xenophobic), it's likely because we've collected many bad experiences with dogs.

IMO xenophilia, xenophobia, racism, sexism, etc. only becomes "bad" when we act against our own experiences, e.g. embracing what should be avoided, or avoiding what should be embraced.

 

[ananda]

My point on all this is that when we respond to an individual or group, we do so in part because we are profiling. You may be profiling using in part ethnicity. So eg most terrorist bombers are Islamic =profiling...... All Moslems are terrorists = racist..... And I acknowledge the fine line

Muslim is not a race, just like Satanists, Christians, Buddhists, etc. are not races of people.

 

[Strathos]

Muslim is not a race, just like Satanists, Christians, Buddhists, etc. are not races of people.

The point is that people assume that those who look Middle Eastern are Muslim, and then they assume that they are terrorists.

 

[ananda]

The point is that people assume that those who look Middle Eastern are Muslim, and then they assume that they are terrorists.

Perhaps that is how you might view middle easterners, but I don't see that in the OP. I took her post at face value: "Moslems are terrorists = racist", and that is what I addressed.

 

[Zoii]

Perhaps that is how you might view middle easterners, but I don't see that in the OP. I took her post at face value: "Moslems are terrorists = racist", and that is what I addressed.

I wasnt sure of the correct word for prejudice based on religion. ... seemed to be the best word to convey the idea

 

[PsychoSarah]

I wasnt sure of the correct word for prejudice based on religion. ... seemed to be the best word to convey the idea

Generally, the phrase "religious discrimination" is used. I actually tried to look up if there was an English word that meant that, but apparently there isn't one.

 

[Tallguy88]

I have an interesting anecdote to go along with this discussion. My sister used to live in a questionable neighborhood of a big city. When she put her house up for sale, her old black lady neighbor came over saying how she didn't want her to move because she was a good neighbor. Then she asked my sister not to sell her house to any black people. She said "I love my people, but I don't want to live next to them". My sister was a bit taken aback by that.

 

[Audacious]

I have an interesting anecdote to go along with this discussion. My sister used to live in a questionable neighborhood of a big city. When she put her house up for sale, her old black lady neighbor came over saying how she didn't want her to move because she was a good neighbor. Then she asked my sister not to sell her house to any black people. She said "I love my people, but I don't want to live next to them". My sister was a bit taken aback by that.

It's an unfortunate fact that a racist culture/society can make people racist against their own race. : \

 

[Zoii]

It's an unfortunate fact that a racist culture/society can make people racist against their own race. : \

It's a fine line. Where did her view change from being a reflection of her past experiences without neighbours of a certain race, to simply being racist.