Is racism a mental defect or is it ignorance?

Question

I saw an episode of Law and Order (I think that's what it was) where a white man had killed a black man and his lawyer was saying that the defendent had a mental defect that caused him to be racsist and therefore murder the victim....but I never met a racsist person who was racsist due to mental defect...just out of plain ignorance and the way they were raised. I also found out that the episode was based on actual events. In our society there really is an excuse for everything isn't there?

Answer 1

It is just plain ole ignorance. nothing more and nothing less. I remember talking to a my sister and I would say, my friend the one that is Indian, or black. or something like that. And she asked me why do you do that. If you are talking about a friend that is the same race as you, you do not announce it...... My ignorance. Boy did that slap me in the face. It never dawned on me that I was doing that. and I have never done it again. A friend is a friend and it does not matter of what race or creed they come from. Thanks for that question.

Answer 2

I think its more than just ignorance. There are a lot of harmless ignorant people in the world.

It seems like its usually some kind of need to make one feel better about himself or it may even be some kind of "adrenalin high" that people can get from being cruel about others.

I can see how it could be possible for any number of mental conditions (brain tumors, psychoses, etc.) to possibly cause someone to do some racist thing just the way mental illness or brain tumors can cause someone to do something like rob a bank or go nuts in in an airplane. I think, too, that most racism is obviously a sign that someone has some kind of flaw in their reasoning or in their view of other humans. Still, a lot of racism could be because people are raised one way and told one thing and just kind of grow up believing it. Even then, though, you wonder why people don't grow up, figure things out for themselves, and disregard the crap they were told as they grew up. Of course, the person with a low IQ can't think well for himself.

There are things like brain tumors that can cause a person to be aggressive when they wouldn't otherwise be. I would guess if someone were feeling aggressive enough to act on it their sick brain may find some excuse to act on that aggression; and maybe race would be an easy one.

Having mulled it all over, I think that racism is some form of mental defect a good part of the time. Actually, ignorance, itself, is a type of mental defect.

Answer 3

That seems to be the problem with Society...
They want to "blame" everything "on" something, so that no one wants to take responsibility for thier own actions!

Racism is just plain hatred. Nothing more, or nothing less...

It takes a pretty ignorant person to hate some one just for the color of thier skin, and a pretty insecure person as well.

Of course, racism is a "learned trait", that can be passed on from generation to generation as your Parents "hate" someone or something, "you" will generally end up hating them too, because they will barage you with all kinds of messages that "this person" or "those people" are such and such, and not fit to walk the Earth...

We "are" our Parents, when we grow up, and we take on thier hates, likes and all the silliness they burden us with, whether we like it or not.

I didnt see the episode of Law and Order that you watched, but, after having viewed a few of them, its amazing what people try, and do, to get away with putting the blame elsewhere and avoid the punishment due to them.

I wish you well..

Jesse

Answer 4

there's a minimum of three issues to guage first: I rank Robert Bilder's idea of score psychological ailments on a "continuum" extra effective than score them categorically. Why? because the body is nearly a vessel of water, and some everyone looks extra organic, and others are contaminated. that's an get mutually of Masaru Emoto's water idea. if you're nurtured (tortured?) in a negative surroundings it really is what you'll reflect. The medical community, and CDC also needs to understand and handle the acute psychological impairments and negative consequences of distinct pollutants that many human beings were uncovered to. . Our society needs to evolve to those 3 options previously a sensible technique will be better to effectively and really manage psychological ailments. the authentic answer and answer on your question is a techniques better than classifying the certain case you element out. the completed gadget needs an overhaul, because the hot technology and organic medical remedies understand what causes psychological ailments extra useful now.

Answer 5

Racism is neither, it's a total lack of respect, either by the racist by choice or the parents that raised a racist! It's so easy to talk trash on Yahoo answer because nobody can confront you to your face. Cowards use this as a mode of communication. Stop racism!

Answer 6

racism has nothing to do with the brain chemicals, it is either taught or learned. as for if it is ignorance, i would say the discrimination from racism is what falls under ignorance, but unless it was skizo (sorry cant spell and i am really sorry, but i think you know which illness i am referring to) and he thought all black men were out to get him then i dont think it can be a mental disorder. and sure you can claim insanity in just about anything and get off, like the mother that drowned her kids in the bath tub, yea she was insain but she shouldnt get away with it so easy

Answer 7

i have an indian teacher who lives here in the philippines with her family. when she, her husband and daughter visited india, her daughter was so frightened of the people- of how they look, their color and their deep-set eyes. it was ironic in a way to be an indian and to be afraid of your own race. but there's no one else to blame. the only reason i could think of is ignorance. it's not something which you can choose. being a traditionalist could possibly be an underlying source because you're already taking a side according to your own world and to the entire society.

Answer 8

Hating someone based on the color of their skin IS a mental defect in my opinion, it just doesn't add up..

Answer 9

It is a special kind of ignorance, prideful ignorance. Embracing ignorance, or taking pride in it is stupidity. Ignorance itself is merely naivete.

Answer 10

AS YOU WOULD AWARE THAT IT TAKES ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE TO MAKE A WORLD. IF THAT PARTICULAR
KIND OF PEOPLE IS RACISM, MAY HAVE A CONFLICTION WITH OTHER RACES, THUS TROUBLES MAY COME AND MAY NOT STAY IN HARMONY STATE..I HOPE THAT THEY ARE NOT EXTREMIST.