Can Intelligent People be Racist ?

Question

I was just going through the society section of yahoo Answers, and i noticed a lot of questions on race and interracial dating. There were a lot of steoreotypical comments from all races regarding other races, but a common fact is that most of these people cannot put together a coherent question or answer. So my question is are "truly intelligent people" more open minded and less likely to be racist. And please don't confuse intelligence with success

Answer 1

No, I do not believe that intelligent people can be racist. I completely disagree with the first answerer...everyone is not racist, everyone is prejudice (prejudice does not necessarily have anything to do with race, a person can be prejudice against a person if they have dirty under their nails...which has nothing to do with race!!).

Back to the question at hand, my reason that intelligent people cannot be racist is because intelligent people know that human life began in Africa and that over time our skin color evolved depending on where we lived. We are all the same inside.

Answer 2

Perhaps intelligence, or lack of it, isn't so much the issue here, (although I've noticed & agree with your comment about lack of coherency, many times). I think that LOGIC has much to do with it, & then, can intelligent people be illogical? Yes. VERY. It is totally illogical to stereotype anyone, & worse to be hateful. Even though, as I said, grammar, spelling & so on is more often atrocious in the "nasty" questions or answers, I've heard those who spoke elequently, articulately, & utter nonsense at the same time. Logic, humanity, self esteem--there are many other factors, don't you think? I've been doing a bit of "research" on this & two other categories--& I've found a definite pattern in who bashes the most in the LEAST civil way!
I simply don't feel that intelligence is a criterion by which to judge.
(& please don't judge me if I mispelled--I type too fast & the spell check isn't working!)

Edit: Some interesting comments that strengthen my focus on LOGIC. "Everyone is racist." Hmmm. Another absolute! "Everyone has some racist thinking." [I have NONE.] "Anyone can be a racist" might be acceptable if explained a little further, & perhaps only the "can" helps to qualify just a bit what that person believes.

Answer 3

There's the possibility of being 100% book-smart and being completely socially inept out in the real world.
And there's also the possibility of people making foolish generalizations because they already make generalizations when in the process of categorizing things in other parts of their lives (this camera will cost about $200 because it's HP, this sandwich will taste bad because I had it at another store before), so when it comes to people, why does logical categorization go out the window?

Oh, and then there's a lot of intelligent people that will be racist and try to apply darwinian evolution to the human race. Survival of the fittest, and the best fit to live will be the ones that rule. Since my race (whatever it may be) has historically been better than your race (due to either coincidence, oppression, luck, or otherwise), that must mean that my race will reign supreme.

Answer 4

Definitely, intelligent people can be racist. However, what is sometimes accused of being racist may just be their desire to logically take a look at different matters, from all angles, and incite discussion from various peoples. Additionally, I believe it is very easy for "truly intelligent people" to be closed minded because they rely upon their own intelligence and often refuse to accept something that is not in line with their way of thinking. It's unfortunate that racism still exists anywhere, as we should learn to respect all people regardless of race, gender, education, wealth, background, etc.

Answer 5

yes I believe intelligent people can be racist. A racist is a person with a prejudiced belief that one race is superior to others. Intelligent people are supposed to be able to think clearly and logically, but deep in your soul if you believe that one race or human being is superior to another, that is what you feel all the intelligence in the world will not change your feelings.

Answer 6

truly intelligent people are reasonable the problem is there are smart people that lack confidence thus blame other races for problems all races have ,typecasting a race allows the race you think you to be to be supirior ,its not about race its about self worth
racists are in fear they themselves are infirior ,thus overcompensate generalisations.
we all can be racists given the right fears ,its again not race but our deluded fears and hopes ,then there's conditioning and peer review ,envey and rebuttal ,but intelligence is not a classifier ,its only ancillory that subverts feared truths
sorry about knowing more than i can spell ,i strive to be intelligent but barly make it into being smart ,but that is my own reverse prejudice.,i guess some will see that as pretty dumb.

Answer 7

yes, but most intelligent people will not discuss their prejudices aloud and certainly not in a public forum. One of the great things about education is that you learn that we are more alike than we care to admit and race has very little to do with much of anything. Criminality and just blatant stupidity isn't designated to one particular group, and money doesn't exempt anyone from either category, but education may.

Can you see Dr. Frasier Crane using the N word against his nemesis, Cam Winston? Ummm...I don't think so....

Answer 8

I think anyone can be racist. But I also think that the more intelligent a person is the more tolerant they are of others. Or at least thats what I would like to believe, although its obviously not true.

Answer 9

I have known some truly intelligent people who have preconceived notions about other races...I think that smart people can be wrong and can be stubborn enough to not see it...
I also believe everyone has some sort of racist thinking...smart or not smart...and who decides who is smart...street smarts..book smarts..there are all levels of intelligence...

Answer 10

Is it conceivable to be an sensible racist? particular confident many sensible are racist and boastful Western colonialists wiped out finished cultures, races, languages, arts and information thousands of years returned. Examples are the community individuals, community Australians between many others. Allah says that for the time of Quran (interpretation of the which potential): the main honoured of you with Allaah is the guy who's the main pious Brotherhood in Islam potential that Muslims stay as one u . s .. without segregation ****d on ethnic or nationality variations. Islam itself is a civilization That one has to stay. The Muslim is guy or woman who devotes all his existence to Allah And submits to Him With all his deeds. Islam is submission to Allah. I say.. being a Muslim is a astonishing element Islam is a astonishing faith.