Do you think black people are more NATURALLY gifted athletically?

Question

There was a thing on Dateline or Nightline a few weeks ago about stereotypes. One thing they talked about was the stereotype that black people are more athletic naturally. There were some people that said this is true, just look at all the athletes on sports teams; most are black. Others said it was just that: a stereotype, and cited other reasons for why there just happens to be a disproportionate number of black professional athletes (like they're more driven to succeed). The thing I noticed is that it was generally white people saying it was natural and generally black people saying it was due to drive. That got me wondering whether black people don't want to believe in innate athletic ability because that opens the door to black people being labeled as innately other things (like stupider, as some researchers have tried to prove). Do you agree with this?

Answer 1

I'm a black woman and I do believe that black professional athletes are more athletic naturally. And not to make lite of this, but my opinion on why this is, it's because we're just use to running! Running from the police, running from police dogs, running in the jungles, running track, boxing: we had to fight pretty much all our lives; basketball, we had to hide in trees so we had to have that reach to climb; baseball; we had to pick up weapon to keep sh!t off our backs. Now I'm not writing this to make lite of this issue. This sh!t is true. I lived it; done it and seen it pretty much all of my life! So whether you're black or not, if you haven't been raised in my neighborhood please do not speak on my comment!

Answer 2

Some are and some aren't. One can't make a blanket statement about all women of any race. Beauty is completely subjective and in the eye of the beholder. Most of the people here are being very stereotypical, even the ones who are being complimentary. All black women don't have wide noses or thick lips or the same texture of hair or glowing skin or big butts or even dark skin. The vast majority of black Americans are mixed race even if they don't appear to be to you - it's the reason why most black Americans don't look like Africans. I don't know what women the ones who've spoken on personal hygiene are hanging around but maybe you need to find a better class of people to associate with.

Answer 3

Being a black Male I honestly believe that there is no such thing as black people being more gifted. I think that because of these Stereo types many white people LIMIT themselves or defeat themselves. For Example some white people already put in there head that I'm better at basketball when I walk up to the court. Therefore they've already defeated themselves and because they have that stuck in there head its gonna kill there performance on the court.

Answer 4

I am a substitute teacher in a large county. I work in all grades and schools. I don't know if black people are more gifted athleticly but they do need to leave the classroom 10 to 1 to go to the bathroom. And they stay gone 10 times longer when they do. Now what does this mean? Someone needs to study it.

( I think it has something to do with roaming the halls and not a bladder problem)

Answer 5

I have seen this debated, and one point to consider is that kids from poor places and the lowest social classes can most easiest find success by developing their athletic abilities. to get to be a successful attorney in a large law firm takes social connections, almost from birth or even in past generations.

So, blacks are more likely to feel their greatest opportunity is in sports, whereas a certain percentage of whites think they can move into the professions and succeed.

Of course, let me say the perception is more important than the reality. If a black thinks he can't make it in the professions, he (she) is less likely to try.

Many years ago, the Irish were in the same boat, but today they are in the mainstream.

Answer 6

I hate touching on racial subjects...but I think Dave Chappelle was talking about how white slave owners bred slaves back in the day to be as big and tall and strong as possible. Makes sense though. Have you noticed that there are a lot more REALLY tall (over 6'5) black men than white men? I think a lot of it could be a self-fulfilling prophecy though. I've got a friend from Africa and it's funny...they say that black people are the best dancers, but he can't dance worth squat. I think that's something in American culture. ☺

Answer 7

This is an extremely complex question.

Genetically, there are certain attributes that are associated
with the gene pool which creates people with lots of melanin
(*******). That means, more people in that pool have those
attributes than the rest of the population. However, some of
those attributes do exist in the rest of the population.

Similarly, culturally, we tend to clump together and so some
children are exposed to different things depending on their
culture - and some of those things may increase ability.
For instance, if you grow up where there is a lot of basketball,
you are more likely to like and play basket ball, and certainly
if you play it, you are more likely to be good at it than if you
don't.

However, gene pools intermarry, and cultures mix.

Moreover, there are attributes in sports that people tend to
have a tough time quantifying such as "heart" and "strategy".

Personally, I believe this question is an exercize in chaos
theory: Too many variables to draw anything other than
vague conclusions.

It is just about as predictable as the other famous chaos
theory example: the weather.

Consider that stereotyping may cause someone to leave
their culture out of exasperation and seek another which
emphasizes different skills!

People are persnickety.

Answer 8

There must be something in it. Otherwise why are practically the entire American athletic team black and the entire swimming team white? There has to be more than a social reason for this surely? Got to be genetics in there somewhere.

Answer 9

I believe it's a self fullfilling prophecy. Like, girls have often been told they do poorly in math, and so they perform poorly on math problems. Boys have been led to believe they aren't as good at art as girls, so tend to limit their artistic expression. If a group of people is thought of, and told that they are better in athletics, they will perform better in athletics. Goes back to the famous "blue eyes, brown eyes" experiments done in classrooms back in the 1960s.

Answer 10

I believe it's a stereotype, I agree some are naturally gifted when it comes to athelism but not all of them. It really depends on the person if they want to go out or play or not.