Why are cultural observations always called racist?

Question

I won't mention any particulars, but all races/cultures do have on the "majority" of their population certain personality types, values, etc. Some are very close to the family, some are extremely hard workers, some are very lazy, some are extremely religious, etc. Yet anytime somebody asks about one of the traits, all of a sudden, "you sound ractist, thats media, not everyone is like that, etc."

Why am I paying more for my car insurance then older people? I'm a good driver, but "for the most part, those in my age range", aren't and get in more accidents.

I guess people think the race characterizations are because of their color, what they fail to notice is its not their skin color that makes them like that, its their culture and hundreds/thousands of years the cultural personalites they developed.

Answer 1

Because the certain personality in an ethnic group doesn't determines that all the people who belongs to that ethnic group are the same, in all the different ethnic groups you'll find hard worker, lazy people, religious people, etc. What gives an ethnic group a characteristic is the language, traditions and culture, but the hard work, the laziness and the religious believes aren't part of the language, traditions or culture, is a selection made by a person that belongs to a certain ethnic group, but is its persona; decision and not the action of the whole group to consider it as part of that culture. that's the reason who have to be care full when you make such comments because if you don't know how to separate the characteristics of a person away from the culture of that ethnic group you can easily step in the territory of the racism. That's the reason we have to learn people not because of the ethnic group they belong to, but for the actions committed by the individuals.

Answer 2

You don't get it at all.
Your insurance premium is based on statistics pertaining to your age group. You are paying more because you belong to an age group that has proven itself more risky than another age group to insure.
As far as your "cultural observations" are concerned, I think that you're missing a very important point: People are individuals.
More often than not characterizations about a race are false because of that very reason.
I am black, but most if not all of the first five things you might think about black people doesn't apply to me. Even your argument about years of culture forming their cultural personality doesn't apply to me. I was adopted at three months of age by a white Dutch family, but you wouldn't know that from seeing me on the street,right?
I am often judged based on the color of my skin, and pre-conceived ideas or "cultural observations" as you like to call them are already in people's minds before I even have an opportunity to establish my individuality.

Answer 3

I think it is because insurance companies use profiling information they collect on millions of people, and most of the observations you refer to are based on a much smaller sampling, and often second or third hand... and sometimes based on nothing.. Sometimes they even contradict themselves..