Child Of The Light.....think of the children
Shawanda-Sue, you come in to dinner now!!!!
The kids would hate each other.
truth
I don't think we can deny the economic determinants of racism in America. Too many studies by non-Marxist economists, sociologists, urban anthropologists have demonstrated that. If people were paid very well to not discriminate against minorities, it would soon come to an end. My problem is that the most rabid expressions of racism come from whites of the lowest economic strata. It SEEMS to me that they need to have someone below them, and an educated professional black is their greatest nightmare. So economics is not the only foundation for racism, social organization itself is another factor--unless we insist on analyzing social organization (i.e., the social hierarchy) as solely an epiphenomenon of economic relations. Aside from the fact that lower class whites obtain local jobs that do not go to blacks because of discriminatory practices, lower class whites gain little from the capitalist nature of our society, but their position at the lower levels motives racism as noted above.
And I find lower class blacks to every bit as racist as lower class whites, so what's the explanation for that?
In fact, not only do they despise white people, but take a superior posture to mexicans and puerto ricans, making them exactly like the white people they say make them sick with their racist profiling. What's the explantion for that?
My opinion is that nobody at the end of the day gives a **** about anyone but themselves. It's universal and crosses all lines of race, color, economic status. We all suck. I'm serious.
BPB, I've come to the same conclusion you have about human dynamics of superiority. It happens to everybody. Trying to limit any discussion on white vs black is myopic - IMHO.
truth
Bipolar, I don't have knowledge of any scholarly explanations for black on white prejudice. But it seems that resentment over discrimination would have something to do with it--ASSUMING that your observations are representative and accurate.
It is my stated opinion that most blacks are not interested in a "rainbow coalition" or a level playing field but rather the usurping of the white mans position at "the top of the food chain" so to speak. Can you blame them? We all have a natural longing to be number one.
Conversely I feel that most whites who believe they occupy that position are interested mainly in staying at the top. Why wouldn't they?
To be on top, someone needs to be on the bottom.
That leaves the position of "in between" for others.
Everyone wants to move up, no one wants to move down.
In a world of infinite desire but finite resources, there will be haves and have nots. The have nots will be unsatisfied and frustrated. The haves will want to hold on what they have.
How can you change that?
Does this mean everyone is a hate filled racist?
BPB, If you read the link I posted, it claims that 80 percent of the human population has some form of prejudice. I believe that. That's pretty close to the percentage of humanity that are living at or below the poverty level. Makes sense to me.
I say we all peel our skin off with rusty knifes.
Light, It's not the skin that needs to be shed; it's prejudice, bigotry, and ignorance.
cicerone imposter wrote:Light, It's not the skin that needs to be shed; it's prejudice, bigotry, and ignorance.
Yeah but the skin idea would happen before that.
truth
I don't think peeling our skin would make much difference. We would just find some other criterion for making invidious distinctions. I remember a man showing someone his church, boasting of its age and beauty. As they existed the church the man's guest pointed to a distant church and asked "What is that?" The answer was simply "THAT'S the church I DON'T GO TO!" Ethnicity may be based on origins, religion, race, language, traditions, myths, anything that can distinguish one group of people from another. They constitute the basis for forming groups--for marking boundaries around and between peoples. And this markng of boundaries is always in terms of contrast (and sometimes conflict) with other groups. In the biethnic town of San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico, if you ask a Ladino (with a "d") what an Indian is, he will, in effect, describe the Indian in contrast to his own group. If Ladinos are X, Indians are non-X. And the same applies to the Indians' defintion of the Ladino.
But I cannot go along completely with BPB's pessimism. I know too many people who evidence no signs of prejudice. And it would merely beg the question to counter that their prejudice is latent, covert or unconscious.
Light, There are too many forms of prejudice not based on the color of skin. It happens too often in the same culture and race for it to be skin color-based. As JLN has opined, groups within groups will find ways to differentiate themselves from the others. It's another one of those "my father is bigger than your father" kind of argument that makes in no sense, but still exists. Ignorance is the fundamental problem.
truth
Right, C.I.. The reason I see so little sign of prejudice in my social life is that my friends are not ignorant.
Yeah, but I still say we should peel off our skin with rusty knives.
I agree with JLN and CI, re the role of ignorance. I don't think class ceilings or poverty as such are the only territories for growth of resentment and hatred of Other, though. There are plenty of people with low income and lively curiosity. And plenty of dead minds from long time wealth; certainly more than plenty from short term wealth.
I have been reading Pico Iyer the last few days, on the value of travel, his writing provides lots of quotes that are savers in regard to breakdown of prejudice. I'll be changing my signature soon to accomodate some of them.
Yes, travel in body and mind takes at least some money and some freedom. Travelling in mind is getting easier with the advent of the computer, if one can gain access.
