For you, is racism judging a race more negativly or associating characteristics with a race?

Question

For example, if you tend to associate different races with certain skills or ways of thinking, like being good at sport, or being more industrious, or having closer family relationships would you be considered as a racist?
I often associate stuff with different races and cultures, and never think of myself as racist, but according to the definition, I would be counted as racist, even though I dont think of one race as being an overall better to any other race. Does anyone else think like me?

Answer 1

I like your question. It is a good question to ask. I personally do not give a damn what the definition of "racism" is. Being aware of racial differences, good or bad, is not being racist. It is actually an interesting thing to talk about IE to point out those differences at a table over a cigarette and a coffee with friends. The bad side of the issue is only when peolpe believe that they are superior to people of other races, That is ridiculous !! Some races are prone to being more violent than others is similar situations, for example. The Slavs in my view are more prone to being more violent in their revolutions than the Portuguese who, in their 1974 revolution only counted 3 deaths. The Russian revolution... well !!!? This is only a debating point --- What I have just used as an example may not even be right. One thing is certain... the Slavs are great artists, much more so than the Portuguese !!! So, as a mooting point, it is a wonderful topic. So I do not think you are a racist !!! ( Just do not refer to my nose as being more pointed and bent upwards more than yours and then laugh, LOL ! )

Answer 2

I pondered about the same thing... Here's, in a nutshell, what I came up with...

The moment race enters as a factor in an equation, some form of racism is involved.

Whether it be association is attaching positive characteristics 'this guy is of race xx, so he is hardworking' or negative 'that guy however is of race yy, so he is lazy'.

It gets worse when the characteristics attached are mainly or even solely negative...

It's just a question of degree.

To a certain extent racism is a shortcut. However it is used by us when we are may be too lazy to know someone, or can't be bothered to do so.

As time goes by and people start more similar types of food in terms of nutrition, and education becomes more pervasive, and more people get married across races, any value these shortcuts could have had in the past gets diluted. So if nothing changes, as the value of the shortcuts falls, so will the advantages obtained by using them, and racism would die a natural death, except possibly in some pockets here and there.

Answer 3

For cultural reasons alone, it is reasonable to ascribe certain skill sets to a given race. However, that IS a generalization, and is not universal.

Generalizations ARE useful. For example, you can come to a conclusion that Hyundais are fuel efficient. This is basically true, even though each different Hyundai model has a different engine and different fuel use ratio.

As long as you're open to the fact that there are exceptions to every generalization, then racial generalizations are not racist.

Racism is hatred of another, or all other races. To support one's racist tendencies, it is common to ascribe bad qualities to a given race. This is usually applied universally, and without exceptions. And it is done in such a way as to be intentionally insulting.

The United States would do well to stop balancing on a fear of racism and judge circumstances for what they really are. We need to deal with racism as a real and serious problem wherever its found, and accept our differences all of the time.

As far as I'm concerned, go ahead and say "White men can't jump, white men can't dance, etc.,. I certainly can't, and most of my white friends can't either. Just don't get upset if I operate on the assumption that black men can. Just be open, as I am, to those special circumstances when you get to see an exception. Its actually kind of cool.

And remember, despite where we come from, are any of us truly white or black anymore, genetically speaking? I don't think anybody on the planet has the ability to prove "racial purity." We're all a bunch of mutts in the end.

Answer 4

There's been a lot of debate around this agenda after the Government's attempts to bring in new legislation about religious hatred. Essentially racism is about discrimination on grounds of race, colour, ethnicity etc and there's an excellent breakdown of the law at the Commission for Racial Equality's website. Go to: http://www.cre.gov.uk/legal/discrimination.html
The problem comes when you have a political party who promote nationalism and are, by virtue of this, advocating nationalistic preference based on colour of skin rather than actual nationality but who can't be touched by the law if they keep within certain boundaries. But you pose an interesting question. I've been told before that I can't observe or comment on certain matters of cultural difference by virtue of not being part of that culture, whether I have been involved in it or not - it seems strange that if I'm black I can criticise Nigerian or Jamaican men for example, but if I'm white I have no right to do so even if it isn't intended as a racist comment but rather an observation of culture.

Answer 5

There was article in the newspaper here that the columnist mentioned "blackface" and used an Indian waiter in his example situation. The next day there was complaint letter published in that newspaper claiming the columnist as racist or used a racist remark.
The columnist replied and he was apologising profusely for his mistake. He further explained that he didnt mean to use the indian waiter as his example. It just happened that it come across his mind.

So to answer your question, though its not your intention that it might invoke racism, associating a characteristic to a certain race is racism because it hits a sensitive nerve and usually the characteristic associated is negative.

Answer 6

Racism is a learned trait. It includes hating another or all other races different than your own. It also is associated with supremacy. For instance a white supremacist believes that his race is better than all others.
Your other point is being prejudiced or stereotyping. I think all people to a certain degree display those traits. It just comes from being uneducated or not exposed to others in a way to learn their culture. Good Question.

Answer 7

Some of those things are differences in culture, not race:

Definition:
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

Answer 8

I think the only thing you are guilty of is believing in stereotypes that are associated with certain races of people, something a lot of people are guilty of.

when i think of racism i think of ignorant people that have no tolerence for other culture or anything different to their own beliefs.

Answer 9

Racism is judging a person not based on characteristics just based off pure opinion. Stereotyping is judging someone based off of associated characteristics.

Answer 10

I think most see Racism as judging a race more negatively ( your first point)

Though it really is a mix of the two points you've made.