What color are you? And what color am I, for that matter? How much thought have you given the topic of race today? I happen to be a big huge nerd who is totally turned on by society, history, and the myriad ways humans have caused their own existence to be unnecessarily difficult while continuously seeking to further that miserable existence whilst making it as comfortable as possible given the circumstances. It’s just fascinating to me, so I give things like race, gender, and other socio-cultural innovations (as well as science) a great deal of thought. I realize, however, that I am unique in doing so, which is why I wonder how much consideration you’ve given the matter of race.
Do you realize that race doesn’t exist as a physical reality? Race is a social construct. There is no more a “race of white people” than there is a “race of brown eyed people” or a “race of people with birth marks.” That which we call “race” is but a method of cultural classification based on superficial aesthetic differences. And yet it is so much more. So-called racial differences have profoundly altered not only the day-to-day lives of countless human beings, but the very course of human history, too.
Do you realize that race is akin to gender? That is to say that race and gender are both ascribed socio-cultural constructs. Race, like gender, is a seemingly innocuous, trivial distinction that is based on overt physiological difference and determines the degree of societal and political power and influence that an individual may wield in a given society.
I can say with certaintly that race is real and potent in modern American society. Undoubtedly race shapes society the world over, but since I cannot (yet) speak of any other society from experience, my thoughts are limited to that which I know. {Please consider this an invitation for input from bloggers native to other societies.}
As a “white” person and consequently, by happenstance, a member of the “majority” in my society, I have not experienced first-hand the ugly aspects of racism. That does not, however, make me blind to the existence of the injustices created and perpetuated by race and racism. Being that I am an ardent pluralist I honestly cannot comprehend the ignorance and hatred that accompany racism, so I am at a loss as to how best to combat the evils of this social institution.
My philosophy course this semester has me learning of the philosophical reflections of William Edward Burghardt Du Bois on race and racism in the twentieth century, which has me of a mind to consider the current situation. Seemingly the situation has improved somewhat, but only in certain measurable ways. In other important - and less measurable - ways the situation has changed little. I would venture to guess that most “non-whites” in America are conscious of a color line and have germinated a “double consciousness” as Du Bois would say.
In the interest of brevity, I shall end this post for now and wait to see some responses before elaborating any further.
/jkh
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For Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._B._Du_Bois
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_people_dubois.html
http://www.bartleby.com/114/100.html
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People hate me because I'm melanin deficient!
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
lmao.
Ahh poor Nicky Boy That's not it, it's because your melanin deficiency accentuates your knobby knees.
Restoring Faith In Humanity One Acquaintance At A Time
As seen in my picture, I have no knees.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Well then it's because you're shaped like a tombstone.
It's cause I'm orange, isn't it?
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
It's because your orange and funny-shaped.
If you have no knees what are those enormous bulbous things at where your legs end?
Restoring Faith In Humanity One Acquaintance At A Time
My feet. You should see my hands.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Well, funny that you should mention this today ... I work at a large, public university. Today we received a flyer in campus mail from our administration, notifying us that the racial classifications on all university forms and materials were to be changed. For the most part, the distinctions were fairly straightforward ... until one arrived at the category "white," and the subsequent definition thereof. People of Middle Eastern and North African descent/ethnicity ... you may be startled to learn that, at least in the eyes of one university, you are "white"! I just can't imagine what the designers of this material were THINKING! Nor can I imagine how many people on campus they've thoroughly offended ... I am in a relationship with an Arab man, and I can tell you, neither he nor his Saudi countrymen would categorize themselves as Caucasian.
And how about Caucasian-ness, anyway. To look at me, one would default to "pasty white girl" without fear of contradiction. Nevertheless, four of my eight great-grandparents were Native American. I do not feel entitled to flaunt this in my racial profile, as I have never established a tribal affiliation. I have been completing a lot of job applications recently, and I grow increasingly weary of checking off the boxes concerned with race, I fail to see how it is relevant to my qualifications to perform my job.
I think the fact that we construct it makes it a physical reality and I am almost always sympathetic to the ideas presented by DuBois, Langston Hughes, Malcolm X (hm, he made sense to an extent), and others-- and especially sociologists whose papers I read...
I don't think you are unique that you give these concepts and relaities, thought and time of day-
I give it more than enough thought that to get away from my ideas on racism and majority/minority politics and what not, I don't watch television..I really don't...I only get angrier and unreasonable... curse up a storm every time I see a certain stereotype and prejudice being portrayed but then I get off the caffeine and take a chill pill so i can get my dose of TLC shows :)
Wealth, however, does have one advantage over looks: beauty fades, interest accrues." -- Dan Savage [I'm feeling like I want bags of cash too]
http://www.progressiveu.org/231615-this-is-a-muslim-girls-plight
I don't think you are unique that you give these concepts and relaities, thought and time of day
Perhaps I should clarify. I reckoned that I give race more thought than your average "privileged" member of the "white majority." I'll admit that this may not be the case in more progressive communities, but I live in Mississippi, one of the most ass backwards states in the USA. Here most white people, if they give the matter any thought at all, either think that the black people deserve to be less well off because of some natural inferiority, or that it's unfortunate the way things are but it's not up to them (the elite whites) to fix the problem.
/jkh
Happen to be quite PROUD of their race and their nationality. Who brainwashed you into a 'conformed' mind? Who's thoughts are you parroting? We have democracy in America to heat the 'melting pot' we called the American experience. The place is full. There is little more room at the inn. People have to learn to get along with each other or they will kill each other in war. Get used to it kiddo. That's life. And it's a mean and cruel world out here especially without the protection of mom, dad or a handy man. And the people of a country is really in trouble when most of their leaders are nothing but a bunch of crooks. A vision is great, without one the people perish; what do you propose to do with reality to change it? One person at a time or hmm...maybe another inquistion?