Current Events > Why are people racist ?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Prejudging others based on race is bad. It's mean and doesn't help anyone. Just makes the world worse.

So why do people do it? Everyone knows racism is bad.

They should stop.
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Why do people like to call people they don't agree with racist?
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SageHarpuia posted...

Why do people like to call people they don't agree with racist?

Usually because said person is racist
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This topic should be interesting now that Storm Front is down.
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because few things feel better than believing yourself to be better than others.
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People don't like things different from them, that's mostly what it is, a very primal reaction to difference. But who knows, maybe it's also fun and gives good feelings? Like judging an entire race of people might make me feel better about myself
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Kazi1212 posted...

People don't like things different from them, that's mostly what it is, a very primal reaction to difference. But who knows, maybe it's also fun and gives good feelings? Like judging an entire race of people might make me feel better about myself

That's sad
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The best way to gather a group is to have a common enemy.
The best enemy is somebody that is different in one or another way. Skin color is an extremely big difference, thereby it is easier to hate them than lets say people with bigger ears.
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Fear and upbringing. I grew up with very different beliefs than I have now. I grew up in South Africa, a white man in a position of power. Was I racist back then? Yes..for sure. Its all I knew, as a teenager I started to question my ideas, and now as a 44 year man that has lived in and travelled the world I have none of those beliefs in me.

What changed me. Exposure, to the truth, living and working and becoming friends with people of other ethnic backgrounds. Travelling the world, living in cities. There's a reason cities are liberal because they are exposed to the truth....and the truth is most people are just normal. Want to have a family, a job and be happy. They are not out to get you.

Trevor Noah said the best way for a black man to change a racist's mind is to become their friends. I like that idea.
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Kazi1212 posted...

People don't like things different from them, that's mostly what it is, a very primal reaction to difference. But who knows, maybe it's also fun and gives good feelings? Like judging an entire race of people might make me feel better about myself

And that's pretty pathetic.
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conditioning and indoctrination.

heritage.
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We're all born racist.
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prejudice is not racism.

assuming the definition is: any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.
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It's a manifestation of the innate tribalism all humans have. We establish in-groups, that we tend to give preferential treatment and have higher opinions of, and out-groups, that we treat more poorly and have lesser opinions of.

One way we can do this is by race. Or religion. Or politics affiliation. Or by sports team. Or even which video game platforms you prefer, you dirty Sony Pony/Nintendrone/Xbox dudebro.
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Asherlee10 posted...

Webmaster4531 posted...

We're all born racist.

No way.

I didn't have a concept of other races until I was about 11 years old.

There different definitions for racist. The one I used is

a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.

Knowledge of why is unnecessary.
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AmonAmarth posted...

prejudice is not racism.

assuming the definition is: any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.

this, too.
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society/family/etc conditions you
also lack of education
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Parents fault, in most cases.
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a white man can never win a debate with a black man: they always pull the racist card when they are about to loose the debate.

Asherlee10 posted...

Webmaster4531 posted...

Asherlee10 posted...

Webmaster4531 posted...

We're all born racist.

No way.

I didn't have a concept of other races until I was about 11 years old.

There different definitions for racism. The one I used is

a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.

Knowledge of why is unnecessary.

Even still, this would be dependent on even understanding there are different races, which I didn't comprehend until about 11.

I disagree. When racism starts is still unknown(conclusively at least) but there's proof around 6 months it shows.

http://www.parents.com/baby/all-about-babies/science-says-everyones-a-little-bit-racist-even-babies/
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Asherlee10 posted...

KILBOTz posted...

because few things feel better than believing yourself to be better than others.

I'm really noticing this a lot right now by staying in a hotel with a bunch of displaced hurricane evacuees. You can tell who comes from low-income situations and they treat the hotel staff like absolute crap. They demand things of the house keepers and staff. It's just disgusting.

I've worked in the service industry while I was in college and a bit after, so I understand how it feels to be on the other end. I try to make a big effort to not only be very kind and considerate of the hotel staff (maids and all), but show my gratitude for their hard work.

For me people that I think are stupid I treat like crap/with little respect. It normally takes a while for me to start thinking someone is stupid though so I am always nice to strangers but I tend to treat a lot of my superiors at work shitty just because they are idiots and my behavior is tolerated because I am a high performer.

So yeah, I like treating people shitty by thinking myself better than them, just not based on race or income. Maybe it is because I feel my intelligence is one of my best attributes so I weigh it as the most important factor? Who knows.
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