By creating this idea of race, we create this idea that humans in general differ. But what separates say an Asian person from a White person, other than their looks? Science shows us that, other than the actual physical characteristics, there is nothing that separates one “race” from another.
The simple idea of racial distinction itself is not fundamentally bad; it is simply a system of classification based on the looks of a particular individual. It isn’t until these distinctions give rise to the idea that one race is superior to another that the idea of race becomes problematic. Such distinctions are what create racism and then lead to other forms of discrimination.
Since we know that all races and groups of people are all human and in fact intrinsically the same, why does racism itself exist? Why treat someone of another “race” any differently from how you would like to be treated? I think that this problem is an example of how people still cannot comprehend that we as human beings are all the same and that we should work towards a society that is designed to benefit all that live within it.
If you would ask me if people have ever gotten my race wrong then i would have to reply yes. Since I look predominantly Asian, people often identify me as another Asian student among the rest of the crowd. However, what people don’t often expect is that not only am I half Filipino, but that I’m also half Mexican. I think this idea alone shows how race is a debased form of distinction with regard to human beings; judging someone based solely on their looks doesn’t always amount to the truth of the matter.
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Hi Mauro,
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed that you learned about race as a social construct in high school! You will find that the reading for this week will address some of these exact issues. I also think you have hit on some important points about how race is really quite benign until we, as a society, begin to assign differential values to different races. Do you think that race can exist in a non-hierarchical fashion? Or will racial classification always lead to racism?
Your story about how people classify you leads to some interesting discussions about how racial classification works in the United States- what characteristics do people use when classifying people according to race? Why do you think we use the classifications that we do?
Also, I would also push you to start thinking about what ethnicity is? You seem to have a pretty solid grasp on race, but ethnicity also plays a pretty big role in the United States classification system- what makes them different?
--eas