What if racism is an evolutionary response?

[Petros2015]

But as one of my favorite theologians, Miss Rose Sayer, once put it, "Human nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put in this world to rise above."

That's so funny. I just watched that movie for the first time last night!

 

[Petros2015]

I'm not sure what is meant by 'is racism an evolutionary trait'?

It's possible superiority-complex or inferiority-complex might be survival traits in one environment or another. While it might not be possible to breed a 'super-race' it might be very possible to (accidentally or intentionally) breed a race of super-racists. Isn't the heart of racism - 'my genetic line is superior to yours; I am what I consider to be human, all others I judge as either equals or less than' and treat them accordingly? And then resist any resistance against that treatment? When we look on others with love, we find things to love. When we look on others with less than love, we find things to hate. And of course there's nothing wrong with taking advantage of or abusing things we hate...

We bred dogs from wolves selecting for nice domestic traits and now have an ENORMOUS variety of dogs, many specialized in one way or another. Someone did the same thing with wild foxes once, breeding them for domestic traits. It worked. 6 generations seemed to be all it took. Not mentioned in this particular article, but it also worked in the other direction too - he bred another line and got the nastiest most anti-social foxes he could get lol. Suckers'll chew yer face off.

The silver fox domestication experiment

 

[VirOptimus]

That door swings both ways. Knowledge of the 'other' can confirm your bias. So-called racism is a favorite study topic of mine. What I have found explains a lot of it. You also cannot discount experience; lack of knowledge notwithstanding.

But you are a racist.

 

[durangodawood]

If so there is little we can do about it. Evolutionary change cannot be legislated just because we don't like something about ourselves. Thoughts?

I dunno about "legislated away".

But for sure we can, as a society, observe that certain natural human traits or tendencies no longer serve our values. Then we can discourage them in various ways that might include legislation, but certainly will include what we used to call "moral education".

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I dunno about "legislated away".

But for sure we can, as a society, observe that certain natural human traits or tendencies no longer serve our values. Then we can discourage them in various ways that might include legislation, but certainly will include what we used to call "moral education".

But we can't even agree on what constitutes morality. There are those who believe that taking another's stuff is moral.

 

[durangodawood]

But we can't even agree on what constitutes morality. There are those who believe that taking another's stuff is moral.

We generally agree on some important things, while we disagree on others.

Racism is a great example of a matter where agreement is coalescing that its bad.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

We generally agree on some important things, while we disagree on others.

Racism is a great example of a matter where agreement is coalescing that its bad.

Now if we can just decide which is which.

 

[durangodawood]

Now if we can just decide which is which.

Well there's never total agreement.

But unless something awful happens, I doubt we'll see the rise of any significant new "apartheid" societies, where its valid to apply different sets of laws based on what "race" you are.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

We generally agree on some important things, while we disagree on others.

Racism is a great example of a matter where agreement is coalescing that its bad.

Racism certainly exists. What hasn't been determined is it's effect on those who claim it.

 

[RDKirk]

Sure, how we define different groups changes over time, but our responses to groups that are perceived as 'other', for social or cultural reasons, tend to follow a tribal pattern, whether they are racial, political, geographic, sporting, etc.

I already said that.

Suspicion of "the other" may be evolutionary, but the definition of "the other" is purely cultural.

Ancient Roman citizens, for instance, didn't have a problem with anyone who was a Roman citizen, regardless of skin color, and barbarians might also come in any skin color.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

I already said that.

Then I guess we agree on that point.