Why do people say that the only difference between the races is skin color? Miseducation or stupidity?

Question

I often hear people say that the only difference between the races is skin color. This statement shows a stunning level of ignorance about science and history. There are hundreds of scientifically provable differences between the races. These include hair texture, bone structure, muscle structure, skin thickness, hormone levels, resistence levels to certain deseases, average intelligence, etc., etc., etc. The list is too long to type out here.

In fact, a Poodle and a Doberman Pinscher are more closely related genetically than a white and black person are. This is a scientific fact, but you don't hear anyone say that the only differece between a Poodle and a Doberman Pinscher is the color of their fur. So why do people continue say this b.s. when it comes to the different human races? Does living in a fantasy world make them feel better? Or did they hear that phrase on TV and because they have no critical thinking ability, they were stupid enough to believe it?

I should clarify one thing. I never said that one race was superior or inferior to another. All I said was that there were very REAL differences between the races besides skin color (ie. melanin levels in the skin).

I personally believe that EVERY race has certain traits and abilities that, ON AVERAGE, are superior to other races. I also believe that there are numerous EXCEPTIONS to these averages.

Answer 1

Thanks for having the bravery to risk being misunderstood as racist and bringing that point up. You're abseoutely right that there are real physiological differences among people's whose evolutionary ancestry is off differing geographical space, no doubt due at least in part to evolutionary adaptive straegies to climactic and geological conditions. The question is, then, to what degree society, culture, and history have shaped how these differences manifest. Also keep in mind that these noted differences apply to populations as a whole (i.e. the average amount of testosterone in males is higher in Africans than Europeans, whose are higher than Asians), but that's not true of individuals. Intelligence can be hard to measure objectively because the paradigm of what is considered "intelligent" has been decided by a certain social system.

Answer 2

Actually human DNA is 99.9% alike no matter what race. It has been found that the percentage of genetic differences between people of different races is no greater than the percentage for people in the same family. There is only 3 sections in our DNA that determines our race including our hair texture, skin tone, facial features etc. All of the other sections of DNA are the same.

Oh you sneaked average intelligence in there (yes the proper word is sneaked not snuck, snuck is a made up word. Hmmm how did a black person with inferior intelligence know that?) Please, have you been reading "Bell Curve" or "The Reality of Human Differences"? Give me a break with all of the "scientific racism" Have you not ever taken an IQ test? Well I have and although my IQ is 134 I don't see how a test with puzzles and patterns can tell a person how intelligent they are. If I give an IQ test to a person living in the Congo who has never had any form of modern technology, formal education, and doesn't know a puzzle from the man in the moon of course his IQ will be much lower than the average. IQ tests are socially relevant; if you took an IQ test relevant to their environment how well would you do. Furthermore, does nature or nurture determine IQ? And don't tell me that the scores are adjusted to take into consideration their environment. It has been shown that IQ increases as you learn more. Nutrition also affects IQ. Why are impoverished people more likely to have lower IQ's? People have discounted that by saying the reason for their poverty is the lack of intelligence. It is so much easier to say someone is just inferior than to think abstractly. Also, remember that much of the research on IQ and race was done in the 20's-60's. I find it very hard to believe, especially after growing up in a predominately white community where I was usually more intelligent than my peers, that white people are genetically more intelligent than Blacks or other races. From what I have seen living the first 10 years of my life in a predominately black area and the last 15 in a predominately white area, it has more to do with the disparities between the quality of education in black schools as compared to white.
But I see you're just a devil's advocate so you are good with me brother.

Answer 3

I see where you're coming from,and you are right, in a family no 2 children are alike even twins are different in some way but the point is that they come from the same roots and, it can be said that they share a common unity and love.In the human family we see all sorts of physical differences as you mention, due mainly to genetics in response to geographical, cultural and other factors.When someone says that the only difference between races is the color of the skin,what they are really trying to say is that we are all more alike deep down inside than not, that culture and genes notwithstanding we all have needs,feelings,goals and desires in common and that that should make us a family.

Answer 4

While there are more differences than skin colour, there are less differences than you might think.
Within the Caucasian race, for example, there are a lot of striking differences. My wife and I are both Caucasian. My skin is easily burnt, and hers isn't. My children are very tall, from my wife's family.
A lot of alcoholics in my ancestry. I had difficulty with that too, as a youngster. Irish blood? Is that a race? or simply a national characteristic because of the way the Iris here treated? I don't know.
There are more differences between 2 Causcasians, sometimes, than there are between certain Caucasians and Africans.
God is a God of infinite variety in the way He made us. Then human vices have caused problems that have been handed down to descendents as well. Different religions have left the door open for different peoples to be more open to one particular vice than another.
It has been suggested by scientists that the whole question of racial differences might be very artificial.

Answer 5

If you know this to be incorrect, then why ask? You've obviously answered the question for yourself. Often-times people say this to take a stab at prejudiced, racist folk out there who cannot attack other cultures or ethnicities for anything but the color of their skin or the beliefs that they have. I say, if they feel a certain way about a group of people, good for you, but don't expect to voice and have EVERYONE be okay with it. Come on now, freedom to say the stupid **** they say and others have the freedom to tear em' a new one.

Answer 6

i think education level is more relevant than skin when deciding differences that cause drama among races (such as crime rate, welfare etc)

it just so happens some races have more access to higher education, and push the value of education more upon their children than others.

but yeah, there is more differences between races, but imo alot of it is culture and the environment in which they grow up. Take a black kid, raise him in a white family that accepts him, and he will grow up just like the family that cares for him.

environment is key to learned social behaviors, intelligence etc. yes biology does have an effect, but i think by far, environment in which a child grows up has a bigger effect.

Answer 7

The statement is neither miseducation or stupidity... it is fact. Our differences are basically "skin deep" as the variances in our degrees of melanin are the result of genetic adaptations. God created us and we are ALL of the same species which makes us of the same race -- that being homo sapiens -- we share the same DNA coding with variances for hair texture and the like. You are miseducated as to the differences in intelligences... no particular ethnic group (notice I did not use the misnomer "race") has more intelligence or physical superiority than another. Don't let racism and prejudice rob you of loving your fellow human being and appreciating their dignity. Everyone is equally worthy of respect for we are all created in God's image.

Answer 8

I was with you until you got to intelligence. You are toying with ignorance yourself. Cause that is not scientifically accepted. But there are definately bilogical differences besides just skin color.

Oh yeah, Look over my questions, I just found out today that Irish people people come from Africans.

Answer 9

Stupidity

Answer 10

Races. You have dogs, do they have different caracteristics? That answer your question in a nutshell. Yes, if you compare the races, the black people scores the highest. Why do you think blacks where enslaved? We woork harder, think smarter then any other race. We also look better, thats why the "masters" before usually had a black mistress.