BE SINCERE How many of you don't care if a person is from other race?

Question

How many of you really don't mind if someone's race or religion or social status is different than yours? Can you really befriend someone completely different than you, without forming misconcepted ideas at first?

Answer 1

Many of us don't care if a person is from another race, but that's not your only question here is it?

1. Race sometimes matters - particularly if either person MAKES it matter. Other than that, I have friends of all races and several of different nationalities.

2. Religion can be another matter, but again, it is a matter of if one MAKES it matter. If one's religious beliefs precludes making friends with me unless I convert, then that person is going to be in trouble with me because I am a staunch agnostic. Worse yet, time spent with me may reflect badly upon a person within religiously bigoted circles. That said, I have friends from several faiths, including Catholics, Jews, and Muslims. I long to meet more people from East Asian traditions that can teach me more about things such as Shinto and Taoism as my faith in agnosticism is one of learning, not laziness, although I have some friends that I razz about being lazy agnostics as well.

3. Social status is once again a barrier that one must MAKE a problem, but this one tends to me more of a challenge. People seem to have a knee-jerk cultural tendency to favor their class. I only slightly fit some characteristics of a variety of classes. In some systems I can pass for someone of one of the upper classes, while others might see me as middle and, on rare occasions, working class. In the US I appear to be middle class and I like to think my preferences lie there, but there are definitely points of disagreement - the rat race being a big one. The other classes appear to me to be somewhat secretive or defensive. Actually, quite a few people create "class differences" by acting secretive or defensive. I've caught myself doing this in reaction a few times and sometimes I do it to teach someone a lesson for trying it on me because I've studied the ways to trump one action or another. One tactic being... well, that would be telling, wouldn't it? On the other hand, I have entry points to appear as working or upper class with a change of clothes and maybe some status symbol accessory and knowing far more about them than they know about me. My background is highly unusual such that probably less than 1% of the country can begin to relate my childhood experiences. I definitely don't expect understanding, so I tend to accomodate the delusions of the other person more often than I correct them, not as a matter of acting or lies, but just omission - I don't like struggling for understanding over my identity. On the other hand, my friends getting to *not know me* so well gets frustrating sometimes.

Add to all this the many times people have thought I was from their religion or some other religion that I'm not or that I'm some status or another that I didn't expect. One fool even had the temerity to say "I own you" to me and that person will probably not live down my reaction easily, let alone if I ever catch them in my presence again - the sickest part maybe being my savoring their hurt and confused reaction - such dissonance has always fascinated me. Some people even thought (before meeting me) that I was Asian! What fun identity confusion could be! I've never quite milked it for all it was worth though due to this sad kindness streak I have. Truely, you sometimes have to be cruel to be kind or else they will never learn!

Anyway, misconcieved notions are inevitable. They are human nature! The solution is not to deny them, but recognize them and give yourself the flexibility to learn.

CAVEAT: Some stereotypes - such as judging people on their behaviors - ARE important to have! That's not prejudice; that's wisdom!

Answer 2

Most of the answers above are about 'I have one friend who is gay' or "I married someone from another race" well, that's great.

But the question went on to further detail 'do you really not mind if someone's race, religion or social status is different than yours?'

And while I do not mind, I do think that most people prefer to be with people who are similar to themselves. And most of the time, you befriend people who share qualities of race, religion or class. Or at least 2 of the 3.

There may be some additional groups like politics/philosophy, but the same principal holds true.

Answer 3

I'll be truthful. (Okay, I'm white. Just in case that info is important)

It would be hard to. I don't think that much, and I'm a very inconsiderate person, so I might offend them. Plus, I'm terribly stereo typical.

I do have a friend or two of another race, but hey, whatever. They're cool.

Media gives a bad impression...

Every notice diversity in movies or TV shows even now? They never put someone obviosly from a certain place or is a certain thing, unless it's really crucial to the stories or they have some look that they want. Like lack of black people that star in movies (Well, the majority is white. At least to me.). Well, I've seen some. I'm not generalizing...maybe a bit...sorry...Ignore this...

Answer 4

I really don't care what race someone is, no. I have friends who are Brazilian, Japanese, African, etc. And I mean actual nationality, not just ethnicity, but I have plenty of American friends with varying ethnic backgrounds, too.

But the idea that I wouldn't have misconceptions is not true. We all have some misconceptions and some biases, whether they are taught to us or created by us in efforts to understand that which is different. We can certainly befriend anyone of any race, but we have to recognize, accept, and work to change the misconceptions we may have, not deny them.

Then, ultimately, we can celebrate our differences. :)

Answer 5

Of course I think about all the stereotypes first. That's why they're called stereotypes. But the point is to look past them. When I see a homeless person walking down the street with a dog, I wonder, does he eat that dog after a while? But I'm not going to hold that stupid question against him if he asks me for some spare change. I just wont give it to him because I know there work out there for him. But the point is, I will attest to thinking first, judging later, judging after I know the person inside and out, and can look at them without seeing their ethnicity or religion and social status.

Answer 6

Yes I can. We are all just humans. Some are better than others. But I don't make any preconceived judgements about a person until I know a person. I have close friends that are pagans and some that are uber-christians. I am atheist. They believe what they believe but they're still my friend. I have friends from all races because someone's heritage or skin color doesn't change them as a person. They are who they are individually. Once everyone gets it through their heads that we are all just human beings and once people quit judging people based on appearances or stereotypes, the world might actually start to be a good place to live.

Answer 7

Me.
A person's race and religion makes them unique and finding out about their cultural differences and similarities is enlightening.
There's so much to learn.

I will admit that I do have misconceptions at first, but when I start asking questions and get to know the person those are no longer viable.

Answer 8

I'm not worried about status, race, or culture......religion is my thing. I find most of them offensive and something like that is so much a part of your life I wouldn't ask anyone not to speak about it around friends and family. I just don't care to hear about it. so instead of having these conversations I tend not to befriend someone once I learn they are heavily religious

Answer 9

Doesn't bother me. My baby's daddy is from El Salvador he's seems like everyone else I know. Race and religeon has very little to do with how a person is to me. There isn't any difference between a human being we're all just people. I also enjoy learning differences between cultures it's always fun to learn something new.

Answer 10

I have never really had a problem with the whole defining a person by their race, sex whatever I have a hard time understanding why others do though. it is all about who they are not what they are and yes I do have a variety of friends and some son't like each other but it has never been a problem for me

Answer 11

honestly, I don't care, race, social status, religion or whatever. There will probably always be misconceptions at first, the problem is when they're malicious and are unchangeable.