Poll: Is everyone just a bit racist?

[Nouw]

It's not racist to prefer people of your own race. It's also not racist to call a guy 'Asian' unless it is said with negative meaning. Although people take it that way, no one screams "RACIST!!!!" when you call someone white do they? (I'm Korean by the way, all that gamer stereotype bullshit sometimes pisses me off.)

I'd say the same with blacks but I'm not one and to make a statement about racism and them would be unfair.Although I have no problem with people calling people black.

 

[Thespian]

Going by the actual classification of racism, no, not everyone is... And that's a fact.

BUT going by the practical sense, and what I'm guessing was meant by this post and is the only thing worth mentioning as the exact technical definition of anything is destined to always be 100% arbitrary, yes, yes we all are, a little. Sometimes positively, sometimes negatively, sometimes neither, but with neutral preconceptions about people based off of ethnicity or some other physical trait that we may not even know we have.

Still, the bravest person isn't the one with no fears, but the one who can face the fears they have. I believe the same basic principle can carry over.

 

[Sun Flash]

OT: Yes, by today's broad standards.

Also, for any british people here (I don't know if the link works for any other countries) This series/programme is somewhat relevant. [http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-event-how-racist-are-you/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1]

 

[helldragonX]

I have moments, nothing serious, and mostly joking.

 

[WayOutThere]

There are unconscious biases, that pretty mucn, if not entirely, proven. However, is everyone at least a little bit racist consciously? My answer is an affirmative no.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I don't know if I'm racist but I know I do sometimes stereotype certain racial groups so I'll vote yes.

 

[The Night Shade]

Yes everyone is a bit racist

 

[MikailCaboose]

Plus (and I can't think of the exact study at the moment, but I'll look for it and tell you) there was a study that found that while a person consciously is not rascist, there is still a bit of a time-lag when physically asked to place "good intentions" with a picture of a member of another race (the study used white v. black), as compared with a member of their own race (this was found mostly in whites).

In saying "mostly" in whites, does that mean out of the races tested, that not every member of another race had this quality. For example, say they tested ten black people. Does that then mean that out of those people, maybe only eight of them had this quality?

If so, I'd say that it could be a trait that is able to be lost through progression and evolution of the species.

Again, I'd need to check up on it again, and I don't have the book with me (or the video that my teacher showed in class), but I believe that it was different for each race (blacks, for example had something like a 50-50 break, whereas this wasn't the case for whites).

My point though was that our just saying that "we don't" doesn't necessarily mean that it's true, because the way we act may not be accurate to how we immediately perceive something. I'm sorry I can't get too detailed with the study, because I don't have it with me (and it will probably be around Tuesday at the earliest when I would).

 

[Caligulove]

Yea, everyone categorizes and records how they interact with people and differentiate them by race since it's easier to distinguish people like that on a basic level of sort of "mental taxonomy." That and everyone has different opinions based on how they interact with a certain race, even their own, usually passive or nothing remarkable, though- but I think we all do act a little differently around every race we come in contact with, which is, technically, racism.

But there's nothing wrong with that, it's human. It only becomes a problem when people put negative connotations along with their perceptions of a race or somehow think that a race puts someone lower than themselves or puts them at a disadvantage intellectually, etc. When you become a bigot, that is.

I admit that I do act a little differently around my Black, Indian and Hispanic friends as compared to when I'm with White people. But hell, I act differently when I'm with my friend and his Irish family compared to how I am with my Swedish family. Everyone does things like that, where they change themselves based on previous experiences with a different kind of people. Even when its not based on race, but just people you dont know very well. We're all the same species, but there are differences between us, but that's what makes us great, when we embrace that rather than try to think that "we don't see race" or that there is no racism.

TL;DR- Yes, but it's only human. Everyone sees race. Not a problem unless you're a bigot about it

 

[C95J]

Absolutely not!

Not everybody is racist, just the ignorant stupid people.

 

[Stuntkid]

We often use stereotypes as ways to gain knowledge of the unknown. You can deny it, but it's true. Then we access the information and well... one thing leads to another.

I didn't even mention what would happen if the person doesn't fit the stereotype, and the complexities that follow onwards; but that's for another thread.

 

[Hlain]

Not in the sense of hating different groups of people, but in small, often involuntary generalisations etc.

 

[Jackalb]

I used to think so but recently I met this mixed race guy and he seems to be the only exception in the world as all the other mixed race people I've met are a little racist.

 

[SinisterGehe]

When you see a person of different "Race" (We are all part of this freaking human race!!!). And you know nothing about hes skill, behavior, education, culture, traits, religion... You can't tell what that person is cabable of. And usually in these situations people usually tend to get afraid. you just simply don't know about them. Knowing about other cultures can make you realise when that culture comes near you, your own is in danger, same thing if you don't know the other culture.

And I am sick of hearing arguments like, "you are white, you are racist" because people who say these things never seem to think that If I move to Africa I can also be subject of racism there even I am white.


I tend to favor people of my own kind, my countrymen, people near me, does that make me a "racist" (still I want to know what is this other human race). But is someone can come to me and prove I am better at this than the other person (that is my own countrymen) then I see him to be better at it, even if he would be green and talks by beebing sub-sound noises. The truth that he is green doesn't make me think hes is worse at the thing he really is better at.

I make no sense in my opinion, due to my painkillers and lag of sleep.
cookie for you if you have clue what I am trying to say here.

 

[Communist partisan]

We all have a hidden racist side even if it isn't very big for some.

 

[Substance-E]

Everyone is a little "racist". Unless you have major self esteem issues, you are going to naturally elevate things you identify with yourself higher than others including race.

 

[JokerCrowe]

I define racist as thinking that your "race" is the superior one. And in that case I have to answer with a "maybe". I don't think everyone is Actively racist, but I think it's more of a feeling that you feel more secure with your own people. I mean I have prejudices about different "races". I don't have them conciuosly, but I assume things that aren't necessarily true. However I don't think this makes me racist, and I think most people think like I do. Basically, I feel that it's a matter of definition of the word "racist".

 

[sanguinator]

im surprised this many people denied it. EVERYONE is a bit racist.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

That depends on what your definition of "racism" truly is. If it's moral superiority, then I say no. If it's simply prejudice, I say yes, despite everyone's tries to not be.

 

[SextusMaximus]

I laugh at the odd racist joke, but it's not abuse towards them - it's merely having a bit of a laugh. I can safely say that I've had jokes put towards me, and sometimes british stereotyping, etc. and I've been able to have a laugh at them.