The myth of race: Why are we divided by race when there is no such thing?

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You're contradicting yourself mister, what unity do you refer to? The only unity it can be is when this world is destroyed, the creation of a New economic system and the borders are done away with, until then topics like race, poverty etc... Will always be relevant and mostly misunderstood.

a reply to: InhaleExhale

a reply to: RedParrotHead

My opinion: since race comes down purely to skin color, why not just use descriptive terms if we need to.

"White male in a red hoodie"
"Black female in a blue Chevy Sedan"
"Pink hermaphrodite riding a unicorn pig"

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: RedParrotHead

My opinion: since race comes down purely to skin color, why not just use descriptive terms if we need to.

"White male in a red hoodie"
"Black female in a blue Chevy Sedan"
"Pink hermaphrodite riding a unicorn pig"

But with human variation it might be difficult putting out an APB just on color alone.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Maybe I misread the OP, but it seemed to me it was saying there was no connection between physical traits (skin, noses, etc) and behavior. I had to read it twice as I got the wrong message the first time.

What I mean to say was they said there is no genetic predisposition to behavior and then in the following sentence say there is no connection between traits and behavior. It's worded a little oddly for my taste.

Not saying that this is the case for you by any means, just thinking maybe you could look at that once again to be sure.

a reply to: 200Plus

That is exactly the misunderstanding I had. Thank you. I figured it out for myself, but thanks for "getting" what I was saying. I appreciate it. I think it's because I have NEVER assumed that non-physical traits (intelligence, personality, aptitude, etc) were biological. I've ALWAYS known that culture and environment form those traits for the most part.

But I think many people do see these non-physical traits as biological and part of a person's "race". Not true, of course.

I did read the OP 4 times. LOL

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

AH, I see what you were getting at BH.

Sorry about that.

My OP is just covering the basic tenants of race, as in, African, Caucasion, Asian, as having something inherently different other than cultural and biological evolution, based on where they lived.

~Tenth

I understand now. I guess I didn't understand for the same reason that BH cites here:

I think it's because I have NEVER assumed that non-physical traits (intelligence, personality, aptitude, etc) were biological. I've ALWAYS known that culture and environment form those traits for the most part.

a reply to: butcherguy

It took me several months of digesting the information to come to the same conclusion. So I totally understand.

It was right here on ATS that the illumination happened.

Races of a species are simply groups which can be identified by observable physical characteristics.

To deny that races exist is ridiculous.

Every child can tell the difference between Scandanavian Whites and Australian Aborigines, or between Tutsis and Japanese, or between Apaches and African pygmies.

What utter garbage and multi-cultural agenda-cism--- to deny what is obvious to anyone's eyes.

And their cultural differences are frequently even greater than their physical differences.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

This of course, is both "true" and "false". It's a politically correct statement, that is "right" because it has an agenda, which is not entirely true or beneficial.

The "evil" and "mean" reply to this, is that "Greeks", and "Germans" are obviously a lot smarter than both you and I together. It took 2000 years, for you and I to even glimpse, what the Greeks considered common knowledge 2000 years ago.

Thinking that you are somehow "equivalent" with them, is just dumb arrogance on your part.

Same applies to the Germans, you may hate them and consider them to be bloody bastards. But it doesn't remove the fact, that our society exists as a result of their work. We stole their work, and because of it, society has thrived ... and we, in the west, are now living an almost total breakdown. Because We've run out of German scientists. Maybe if we're lucky, we'll be able to enslave a few Chinese, Russian or Japanese scientists instead. Just "maybe", it will let do ... for a while.

So, wether you or I like it or not ... there is an aspect of "intellect" and "evolution", that DOES distinctualize human beings into "smart" and "not so smart".

However, cross species knowledge and cultural exchange is a *must*.

"Biologically" and medically, race has an impact on the effectiveness of certain drugs. Blood pressure medications for example.

originally posted by: Tusks
Races of a species are simply groups which can be identified by observable physical characteristics.

To deny that races exist is ridiculous.

Every child can tell the difference between Scandanavian Whites and Australian Aborigines, or between Tutsis and Japanese, or between Apaches and African pygmies.

What utter garbage and multi-cultural agenda-cism--- to deny what is obvious to anyone's eyes.

And their cultural differences are frequently even greater than their physical differences.

No one said there was no variation but variations do not equates to race height as well as color hair type and skin color are all adaptable traits they change with regards to environment and changes even in diet.

This lady Nina Jablonski explained it all.
And cultural differences well that can be changed over night as that is learnt and can be un-learnt

originally posted by: grandmakdw
Before some of you misunderstand my statement that some breeds are more intelligent than others. let me make this point.

Studies have shown that humans have the highest success rate as couples when matched in intelligence among other factors. And truth be told, the more highly intelligent are far more likely to marry inter-racially than any other type of human is to marry inter-racially.


So this statement if some groups being more intelligent, as some breeds of dogs are, is not a racist statement, it is just a simple truth with no connotation either way. I was referring on page 3 to within groups. You tend to see the same group of related people in control and smarter within a given (breed) (racial) group etc.

This is good news for me. I'm white and I've never dated a white girl. I'm super smart

" height as well as color hair type and skin color are all adaptable traits they change with regards to environment and changes even in diet. "

Untrue, at least over the course of a few generations.

Many (?hundreds) generations spent away from other members of the species is a major factor that gives rise to Race and to cultural differences.

originally posted by: MX61000
You're contradicting yourself mister, what unity do you refer to? The only unity it can be is when this world is destroyed, the creation of a New economic system and the borders are done away with, until then topics like race, poverty etc... Will always be relevant and mostly misunderstood.

a reply to: InhaleExhale

So you are replying again without reading posts?

I clearly stated what unity I was referring to and why I thought it was on topic.

But it seems to go way above or below your head seeing as how you can find unity through total destruction

I say either above or below simply because we don't see on the same level, not that any of us are above or below each other.

Have to agree with you that topics such as race and poverty will be misunderstood but not always relevant.


Please point out my contradiction as I am unaware I did.

I will gladly take a step back if I have so and if you can show me, I have gone back over that post you were replying to and cant see it, does it contradict what I said else where?

Really curious as I try not contradict myself and if I do so make sure its known that what I am saying contradicts what I said before and explain why I am doing so as contradictions are inevitable in such a complex world.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: Spider879
Some diseases are race specific.
Very few cases of cystic fibrosis occur outside of the caucasian race.
Sickle cell anemia occurs in the black race exclusively.
There are differences.
We are still all human.

Not so
Sickle cell anemia also affects Hispanic Americans

Sickle cell is found more frequently in persons of Middle Eastern, Indian, Mediterranean and African heritage because those geographic regions are most prone to malaria. The gene variant for sickle cell disease is related to malaria, not skin color.

www.understandingrace.org...

From a Neuroscientific viewpoint, intelligence is definitively genetic. There is no doubt that on this earth amongst all 'races' there are really thick individuals, highly intelligent ones and those somewhere in the middle.
Intelligence can be inherited.
Intelligence is merely another trait that depending of its need is evolved more or less. In an environment where intelligence has nothing to do with survival, it won't play as much a role as in environments where it is vital.
101 genetics.
Are all humans exactly the same?
No way. As I said above, amongst every people on earth you can find differences. Therefore it is impossible to say XYZ are better/worse than ZYX people.
Nobody can possibly refute that.
That's all I say about intelligence.

What about behaviour?
Different inheritable visible difference in looks can very much have an influence on behaviour. The reason is that a lot of genes do not just express a visible thing but often at the same time a behavioural thing.
A good example is the fact that certain cats or dogs are deaf if they don't have two different coloured eyes.
The reason is 100% genetic because the gene that expresses eye colour also expresses hearing.

Now you are saying that hearing isn't behaviour, the reason I gave the example was to show that one gene can have more than one expression.

Behaviour is down to neurotransmitter production, which is down to amounts of ion channels and a few other things but lets stay with ion channels for now. The amount your brain will develop is a DIRECT result of your genes.

With that in mind I am glad that nature turns out a lot of different humans all the time because it is important that there is a 'human for all environments' so to speak.
I know we would love for everyone to be exactly the same, with no genetic difference whatsoever, so that we can all live happily ever after...but the fact is that humans NEED to be different [genetically] so that whatever nature throws at us, there will be some better equipped than others. Without differences we'd all be dead.

Are some people 'better' than others?
No, because 'better' depends entirely on our environment and how successful we are in it.
Is a fish 'better' than a bird because it manages to live under water? No.

We are all important, with all our differences. It is of utmost importance to realise that it is our DIFFERENCES that make the human race as a whole so successful. Denying this is just on par as saying the earth is 6000 years old.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

So there is one race of humans, just different breeds.

a reply to: Hecate666

we would need to understand what is "intelligence" (raw processing power) vs learned/developed skills in problem solving.

People tell me i am intelligent. I don't feel it. I am always amazed at how bright many other people are. What I am is learned in problem solving. I learned to think in a certain way at an early age. It is adaptive.

Or, at least thats what I believe.