What if racism is an evolutionary response?

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

It's so funny how much of the arguments against the ideas of how humans can evolve complex mental thoughts made by the person above all boil down to "I can't imagine how they evolved, so they obviously didn't evolve!"

 

[pitabread]

If evolution is correct then human behaviours will follow evolutionary principles. How can it be otherwise?

Human behavior is extremely complex though; there is no singular version of human behavior, nor simplified "evolutionary principles" that one can boil everything down to.

For example, you think to think that "evolutionary principles" dictates that humans should be actively engaging in population control by not inventing vaccines or not providing aid to those in need. But there is nothing about evolutionary biology that dictates this. In fact, it's arguably the opposite since its fostering further survivability of our species.

Humans have logic, reason, conscience, a sense of justice and fair play. Yes, that's not all there is. There is hatred, vengefulness, selfishness etc. as well. How do such characteristics evolve? Answer: they do not.

You may not like it, but all the biological evidence points to human evolution, including all those characteristics.

 

[pitabread]

It's so funny how much of the arguments against the ideas of how humans can evolve complex mental thoughts made by the person above all boil down to "I can't imagine how they evolved, so they obviously didn't evolve!"

It always seems to boil down to personal incredulity, doesn't it?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

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.

Culture in that region and time was quite cosmopolitan. Where I grew up blacks were such a small minority that it was rare to even see one. In my grade school, kindergarten through sixth grade, there was only one, a girl. In high school, 7th through 12th, there were 2 sisters. The one boy dropped out when he turned 16. We had one Japanese boy (my best friend from grade school) but his family moved when he was in 8th grade. We had one Latino in my grade, although there may have been others in the other grades. As we all mixed in the halls we all pretty much recognized each other. This in a school population of about 300. Other schools likely had more minorities than we did, although when we played against them in football and basketball I never saw any. In fact I don't remember seeing any black players among the 7 other high schools in our conference all through my high school years (1952-1958).

 

[OldWiseGuy]

There is a deep rooted, sinful attitude that "our" ways are better than anyone else's. Racism is simply the outworking of that. No one teaches children to pick on those who are different. They have to be taught to be tolerant. That should no be necessary, but it is.

It all depends. My best friend from kindergarten in 1945 through 8th grade when his family moved away was a Japanese kid. Even though the war had just ended I and others never saw him as a "Jap" but just as one of us. His family was 2nd generation immigrants. His father was a barber, his mother an elementary school teacher (in a different school from where we went). Wonderful people and as American as apple pie. Had he had a different attitude regarding his ethnicity, or mine, we might not have been friends.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

It always seems to boil down to personal incredulity, doesn't it?

Qualified personal incredulity.

 

[Aussie Pete]

It all depends. My best friend from kindergarten in 1945 through 8th grade when his family moved away was a Japanese kid. Even though the war had just ended I and others never saw him as a "Jap" but just as one of us. His family was 2nd generation immigrants. His father was a barber, his mother an elementary school teacher (in a different school from where we went). Wonderful people and as American as apple pie. Had he had a different attitude regarding his ethnicity, or mine, we might not have been friends.

Sure. It's the differences that make the difference. A certain religious group hates dogs. That's okay, until they start complaining about Aussies walking their dogs around the place where they live. Now said religious group is getting people's backs up. I'm not a great fan of dogs, but I'm not about to ask for them to be banned.

So-called multiculturalism is a myth perpetuated by lefties. It does not work. That's because human nature is flawed. Everyone wants their own rights - always at the expense of someone else's rights

 

[Aussie Pete]

It's so funny how much of the arguments against the ideas of how humans can evolve complex mental thoughts made by the person above all boil down to "I can't imagine how they evolved, so they obviously didn't evolve!"

It's funny how some people can look at the utter implausibility of life evolving and say with the utmost confidence that it did. I'm not interested in imagining things. I'll leave that to the evolutionists.

 

[mama2one]

begins at a very young age

our child, born in another country, has been bit, hit, kicked, and made fun of since Kindergarten

it's real....it happens!
targeting people because their skin color is different or because they were born in another country is horrible

if only parents would teach their kids to be kind to everyone!

kids are NOT color blind

 

[loveofourlord]

it's easy to see evolution creating racism. Look at the animal kingdom, the differences between the different visual races of man are greater then some species of animals that can no longer procreate. So I can see it as a defensive mechanism to prevent species spending too much time together. We humans no longer need it, but it's still there, and hopefully in time it will leave.

 

[loveofourlord]

But why are some of us who try to help other races often called racist?

well what is the nature of this help? What are the presupositions behind them.

If your a race realists they think they are helping, but their help is massively based upon racist ideas.

Are you trying to help by saying things like, "Stop acting ghetto, or thugish." or other such racially charged words.

I think the most common example of bigoted commentary is the whole, "Well if woman didn't dresses so [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]tily they wouldn't get raped."

Alot of how people try to help others is racist/bigoted in how they are said. Even the best of intentions can have the most dire of consequences. What is the motivation and beliefs behind the help.

not saying you have done any of this, I don't know what your help is. Just showing it's easy to be trying to or even think your helping others while being racist, misogynist or bigot.

 

[RDKirk]

Culture in that region and time was quite cosmopolitan. Where I grew up blacks were such a small minority that it was rare to even see one. In my grade school, kindergarten through sixth grade, there was only one, a girl. In high school, 7th through 12th, there were 2 sisters. The one boy dropped out when he turned 16. We had one Japanese boy (my best friend from grade school) but his family moved when he was in 8th grade. We had one Latino in my grade, although there may have been others in the other grades. As we all mixed in the halls we all pretty much recognized each other. This in a school population of about 300. Other schools likely had more minorities than we did, although when we played against them in football and basketball I never saw any. In fact I don't remember seeing any black players among the 7 other high schools in our conference all through my high school years (1952-1958).

And you didn't see very many blacks in media, either, particularly not media aimed at children. I know...I was there then, too.

That was the American culture defining for you who "the other" was intended to be...the American culture did that, not evolution.

The American culture could have just as well done what the Roman culture did: "Speaks our language, practices our customs, hails our Caesar, believes in our gods...then one of us."

 

[RDKirk]

it's easy to see evolution creating racism. Look at the animal kingdom, the differences between the different visual races of man are greater then some species of animals that can no longer procreate.

People knew better than that silliness thousands of years ago. That's why Israelites married Cushites and didn't try to bread goats and sheep.

 

[Larniavc]

Zackly. Racism is learned, not taught.

Why not both?

 

[RDKirk]

Zackly. Racism is learned, not taught.

It's both.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Sure. It's the differences that make the difference. A certain religious group hates dogs. That's okay, until they start complaining about Aussies walking their dogs around the place where they live. Now said religious group is getting people's backs up. I'm not a great fan of dogs, but I'm not about to ask for them to be banned.

So-called multiculturalism is a myth perpetuated by lefties. It does not work. That's because human nature is flawed. Everyone wants their own rights - always at the expense of someone else's rights

The closest I get to multiculturalism is when I go out for Chinese.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

well what is the nature of this help? What are the presupositions behind them.

If your a race realists they think they are helping, but their help is massively based upon racist ideas.

Are you trying to help by saying things like, "Stop acting ghetto, or thugish." or other such racially charged words.

I think the most common example of bigoted commentary is the whole, "Well if woman didn't dresses so [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]tily they wouldn't get raped."

Alot of how people try to help others is racist/bigoted in how they are said. Even the best of intentions can have the most dire of consequences. What is the motivation and beliefs behind the help.

not saying you have done any of this, I don't know what your help is. Just showing it's easy to be trying to or even think your helping others while being racist, misogynist or bigot.

I encourage everyone, not just ethnic minorities, to walk the straight and narrow, stick to the tried and true, engage in enlightened self-interest, etc.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

The American culture could have just as well done what the Roman culture did: "Speaks our language, practices our customs, hails our Caesar, believes in our gods...then one of us."

I don't think this is a good representation of Roman culture.

 

[NerdGirl]

begins at a very young age

our child, born in another country, has been bit, hit, kicked, and made fun of since Kindergarten

it's real....it happens!
targeting people because their skin color is different or because they were born in another country is horrible

if only parents would teach their kids to be kind to everyone!

kids are NOT color blind

They are born so. Even kindergartners can already be under the influence of racist parents.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

They are born so. Even kindergartners can already be under the influence of racist parents.

The only way to solve the race/racism problem is widespread interracial marriage.