Finally, an honest discussion about race!

Originally posted by punkinworks
reply to post by Cauch1

 

the epicanthic eye fold is an evolutionary adaptation to several environmental conditions.
It helps protect the eye from sun glare and wind.

Well it doesn't seemed to have benefited their race very well as nearly all the Oriental people I know have eye problems.
Also as I said this was my hypothesis and I have read in at least two separate places that cultural choices were involved in why their eyes developed that way(or I am just going mad ho hum).
Also I fail to see the point you are making over "Europeans/whites", I was talking about why and how they evolved the way they did where they come from has little relevance I was merely using Europe as the example as that is where most people believe they are from. Personally I still do but hey, I am open to proof otherwise.

Originally posted by andre18
Scientifically there is no such thing as race. All homo sapiens belong to the same species. We're not any more different than one another as members of the same species.

Hmm... not sure how this metaphor will go down but I will try it anyway. We may be all the same species but we are different breeds of the same species like with dogs. Different breeds of dog can reproduce together because they are from the same species but they look different from each other because they are different breeds. When two breeds of dog mate the offspring looks a bit like each of the originator breeds just like if a black person and a white person have a child together the colour and characteristics will be a mix of black and white, their skin paler than a pure black person's and darker than a pure white's person. Please do not take this in terms of racial purity this is just my attempt of trying to understand something.

I agree with TheMythLives, generally.

Most things considered racial are not racial, they are cultural. Culture both large (by country), medium (by religion, by economic class) and small (by unique family situation).

That aside, there is a definite and serious genetic issue. Some genetic lines are much more prone to certain disease in the face of unlimited carbohydrate food supply for example; there are vastly more fat N American natives than N American chinese for example, as a result of that.

However I do not believe that the study of genetics has progressed to the point where issues related to basic psychology have even been addressed, probably due to some (maybe legitimate) fear this would breed racism. I'm not real familiar with the field so I can't say for sure.

I am 14 nationalities. In my family as cousins or inlaws I have just about every race/nationality that I am not. We're a walking United Colors of Benetton ad. We've even got physically disabled, mentally disabled, gay and lesbian, criminals and so on -- I mean every "major category" of individual that tends to get a focus, we've got. And yet, I don't really see any specific difference I can attribute to race with all of us.

And it certainly gets confusing with a mutt like me. You can't look at a person like 14.5% cherokee and 28.7% scott and so on, that's pointless. You pretty much just have to look at the genetic set at micro, or the individual at macro, and see what you get. Racial blends, the 'race of tan' so to speak, do kind of make it clear that while genetics vary in ALL races (that's why children are more prone to be like natural parents than adoptive families, but are prone to be different than siblings; I am much more like one of my whacky aunts than anyone else in the family for example), there is not really any "list of assumptions" that you can make about anybody based on the color of their skin.

I think in today's world, we have a lot of cultural prejudices, and the people from that culture are recognized by the color of their skin, their type of dress, etc. and this leads in some cases to them holding the bias against a race, and/or to others assuming that the bias is against the race.

Best,
PJ

I'll say nothing more than... observe how invasive species from unlike ecosystems can completly throw off the balance of life if somehow introduced, especially if there are no predators. extrapolate that now to the human race, and form your own conclusions. The martians may have sent colonists here before blowing there own planet to hell, I dont know as I was not there. Humanity does indeed have an invasive species though. I would also like to state that although you (the op) may mean no harm some of the generalizations you have made have been used in the past to dehumanize the "other", and nurture has much to do with everything from taste in music to social interaction. These things are not born in us, they are in fact learned. Not all Chinese like rice. Not all white people hate spicy food. Not all Arabs eat falafil. Not all black people like chicken. There are indeed Mexicans who are allergic to corn. Do you see what I mean? We can all make pretty babies together, usually the more varied the dna the more aesthetically pleasing I would say, although thats my opinion. Everyone is not born a "little" rascist, I would say "race" is more a problem in western societies, and especially in the u.s

reply to post by siahchi


I have to agree with you on one thing; it does seem that the more varied the DNA the more asthetically pleasing the offspring seem to be. Of course like with anything else this is not 100% true.

I like Red Cairo come from a family that has is made up of more varieties then Heinz 57. I have to proudly say that I have some absolutely beautiful family members and to make sure that the evidence of chance is proved valid I do not even come close to that description.

Originally posted by siahchi
I would say "race" is more a problem in western societies, and especially in the u.s

Where do you get that idea from. What about the middle east you know as in "jihad", "infidel" etc. The idea that racism is mainly in western countries comes from over sensitive people blowing things out of proportion here but not in other parts of the world. But apart from that an interesting post.

-Cauch1

[edit on 6/4/2009 by Cauch1]