is there something in our genes or our brain that makes us discriminate against each other for no reason other than the colour of our skin?
2006-07-18 02:32:00 · 8 answers · asked by manic_chili_pepper 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Nope. It's based in ignorance, insecurity and plain old irrational hate.
2006-07-18 02:38:54 · answer #1 · answered by Mr J 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
no, its all to do with stereotypes, which you form automatically and are very hard to change, so if you hear a story about a person of another race doing something bad against someone you know, then are likely to mistrust, or even dislike people of the same race. stereotypes will become stronger with the more bad things you hear.
take for instance muslims, people hear an awful lot of bad things about them relating to terrorisms, and these are the only stories we hear of them. so there is only one likely stereotype that will be formed.
2006-07-18 09:41:54 · answer #2 · answered by Psychodelic Chicken 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not, unless the chemicals in the brain have turned to mush. In that case the racist's brain needs to be committed to science.
2006-07-18 09:36:57 · answer #3 · answered by Bluealt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems unlikely to be genetic because if you put a group of small children of various racial groups together they tend to treat each other equally and appear unaware of racial differences until they start listening to small-brained adults.
I know of one small (white) boy who asked his mother if he could bring a friend home to tea. His mother said she would meet them both at school, but how would she recognise his friend? Her son gave her a long description of what he would be wearing. It turned out that his friend was black but that little fact wasn't mentioned!
2006-07-18 09:47:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is also breeding. If you are "taught" that Blacks are inferior, Jews cannot be trusted, Mexican are lazy, etc., etc., etc., then these notions are particularly hard to dislodge, especially in the face of facts.
2006-07-18 09:37:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called uncertainty. If you are unfamiliar with someone, especially someone of another culture, you automatically will be in a defensive mode.
2006-07-18 09:35:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Racism is learned and is a behavior.
2006-07-18 09:36:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no its a taught thing, usually by ignorant adults
2006-07-18 09:40:09 · answer #8 · answered by chef spicey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋