Do you believe racism is a matter of individual choice or an outcome of personal experience & environment?

Answer 1

Both…

I believe individual choice came into play with my parents.

I was personally raised by the two most open-minded, non-judgmental people I have ever met in my life (though they, themselves, were not raised to be so). Accordingly, I would like to think I have taken on those characteristics as my own.

However, personal experience and environment also come in to play.

I use to live in a big city and my mother came over to my house one night. As she was walking up to the house a man passed her on the sidewalk. Being cautious (as she has also taught me to be) she lined her fingers with her keys and stared him down as he passed. She came in and told me of it because she surprised herself. She admitted that he really did seem harmless and questioned if she would have reacted quite the same way had he not been black. I told her I was glad she was cautious and hoped she would have been regardless as to his skin color. The point is that she really surprised herself that day. She is a saint and even she questions whether or not society has conditioned her to have an extra fear.

Also, I have grandparents and parents-in-law that are extremely racist. They aren't out there committing hate crimes and they aren't mouthing off racial slurs; however, when it comes down to it they are racist. They were raised to be and though I hate it about them, I'm not sure I can blame them for it. When you grow up in an environment where your parents and society constantly reinforce an idea how can you help but conform to it?

All in all, I guess I view older age as an acceptable factor to ignorance. I am less forgiving of those in my own peer group. I realize that may make me ignorant on some level as well.

Answer 2

Racism is a transference of intolerance which is in itself an infantile insecurity of people who developed a dichotomous attitude where the internal guides developed an incorrect attitude from an unwell state at childhood. It is easier to hate others than admit and change the fact that it is oneself that is the subject of the hatred and an illness in that others are infected too at a young age and may never know or understand the many ways it is transferring that hatred onto another innocent victim.

Answer 3

I think racism is natural. Not that it isn't wrong, simply that, like animals, we're naturally suspicious of anything that appears to be different from the herd. All right for animals, but man has the intelligence to know better. Also I believe that some of it is a learned experience.

Answer 4

racism is an induced behavior caused by the seven avarices. funny thing is the only way to stop it is to totally mix the races physically.
the blood and profiles have already been
mixed so practically slaying an entire rece so to speak futile. pretend all they want to but the functions cannot be disturb by those little people. without recruiting or children programming, racism would be dead.

it's kinda funny though to see some nit and a half wit making themself upset about natures creation, that which they could not have been here without.

they should be really looking into cleaning out themselves and their particular race psycho somatically and go about their business & love in their hearts. earth and all that is withen belong to all thats withen, the politics is protocol in which to maintain order in a controlled society.

Answer 5

Racism is the result of familiarity. Contact with the enemy is a liberal education. Greeks who had never even heard of the Irish emigrated to New York and quickly hated harps. So did everybody else - and each in turn each other.

Answer 6

Environment and then personal experience. I've seen children of different races happily playing, not caring about color or beliefs. I think these are things that are taught.

Answer 7

Personal choice because everybody had bad experiences with their own race too.

Answer 8

Any ism comes from personal experience. Environmental change can place an ism into your subconscious, not conscious mind, so that you don't focus on it continuously. If your not subjecting yourself then your able to become more tolerant.

Answer 9

It's all of what you said. plus indoctrination by friends family,culture,media,religion and lack of education, (ignorance)

Life can be an episode of Nova or National Geographic, or Gerry Springer.

It's your choice

Answer 10

Usually to do with ignorance, parental influence or where one lives.