Comments on: Racism From the Inside http://anadder.com/racism-from-the-inside Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:28:52 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: michael http://anadder.com/racism-from-the-inside/comment-page-1#comment-15273 michael Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:50:47 +0000 http://anadder.com/?p=1577#comment-15273 To be fair, I don't think normal needs the scare quotes since it is only a convention. I'm not sure about racists being more sheltered though -- it seems like conventional wisdom but it's not something I've seen data on. I imagine for many racists exposing them to other cultures will only make their racism worse -- although I agree for most people it has the opposite effect. To be fair, I don’t think normal needs the scare quotes since it is only a convention. I’m not sure about racists being more sheltered though — it seems like conventional wisdom but it’s not something I’ve seen data on. I imagine for many racists exposing them to other cultures will only make their racism worse — although I agree for most people it has the opposite effect.

]]> By: Takis Konstantopoulos http://anadder.com/racism-from-the-inside/comment-page-1#comment-15148 Takis Konstantopoulos Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:10:52 +0000 http://anadder.com/?p=1577#comment-15148 I quite agree with you. Please don't misinterpret my intention. That's why I put the word "normal" in quotes. As for attractiveness and the music of a language: being exposed to people/environments/situations that are different from the ones we are used to helps in understanding, liking, loving. At least, I think so. Could that not be an explanation of the fact that many (but of course not all) racists are people who've never stepped outside their village? I quite agree with you. Please don’t misinterpret my intention. That’s why I put the word “normal” in quotes. As for attractiveness and the music of a language: being exposed to people/environments/situations that are different from the ones we are used to helps in understanding, liking, loving. At least, I think so. Could that not be an explanation of the fact that many (but of course not all) racists are people who’ve never stepped outside their village?

]]> By: michael http://anadder.com/racism-from-the-inside/comment-page-1#comment-15122 michael Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:48:41 +0000 http://anadder.com/?p=1577#comment-15122 I'm a bit suspicious of rationalising away some of these by saying that they're "natural" or "normal" (see http://anadder.com/the-problem-of-innateness) so I've tried to tone it down. We can be mindful of these regardless of the [quite] complex research into the question of how much of these are biological. In terms of language, I think it's a case of exposure. When I was a child in Russia, I remember being terrified of two African immigrants because they were speaking a foreign language -- I don't think I ever heard a language I didn't understand before. Now in Sydney, I tend to find languages that I hear lots to be musical even if I didn't before. I think attractiveness might be the same, to an extent. I’m a bit suspicious of rationalising away some of these by saying that they’re “natural” or “normal” (see http://anadder.com/the-problem-of-innateness) so I’ve tried to tone it down. We can be mindful of these regardless of the [quite] complex research into the question of how much of these are biological.

In terms of language, I think it’s a case of exposure. When I was a child in Russia, I remember being terrified of two African immigrants because they were speaking a foreign language — I don’t think I ever heard a language I didn’t understand before. Now in Sydney, I tend to find languages that I hear lots to be musical even if I didn’t before. I think attractiveness might be the same, to an extent.

]]> By: Takis Konstantopoulos http://anadder.com/racism-from-the-inside/comment-page-1#comment-15023 Takis Konstantopoulos Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:13:37 +0000 http://anadder.com/?p=1577#comment-15023 I find your reactions quite natural: we tend to, by instinct, have a reaction to something different from what we consider `normal'; it must be a biological need for self-preservation. But I also find your skepticism about them something that we expect every rational human being to do. That is, although nature may tell us "be cautious", we don't immediately react by engaging in war but think and stop short of, say, picking up a fight. I have examples from my own: I find certain languages hard to listen to, especially when the listeners speak loudly. Of course, I don't pick up a fight, but I do acknowledge (silently) the fact that those languages which have sounds (and sound patterns) very different from the ones I speak, appear somewhat "cacophonic" to me. (By the way, many non-Greeks think that when Greeks speak they are rude to one another; although this is certainly true to some extent, it is not so all the time.) Talking about different races, I find, say, Ethiopian women very attractive. But this has nothing to do with their colour. I thought about it and it probably has to do with the fact that their facial features resemble what I probably have in mind. At the same time, I find many women of another race (I won't mention which, being politically correct) not so attractive. And this has nothing to do with me being racist. It has to do, I guess, with natural choices. In any case, I think I won't hurt anyone despite my likes and dislikes. But, like you, I also think about my instinctive reactions and this, I hope, is a positive step towards utilizing the tools that natural selection equipped us with. I find your reactions quite natural: we tend to, by instinct, have a reaction to something different from what we consider `normal’; it must be a biological need for self-preservation. But I also find your skepticism about them something that we expect every rational human being to do. That is, although nature may tell us “be cautious”, we don’t immediately react by engaging in war but think and stop short of, say, picking up a fight.

I have examples from my own: I find certain languages hard to listen to, especially when the listeners speak loudly. Of course, I don’t pick up a fight, but I do acknowledge (silently) the fact that those languages which have sounds (and sound patterns) very different from the ones I speak, appear somewhat “cacophonic” to me. (By the way, many non-Greeks think that when Greeks speak they are rude to one another; although this is certainly true to some extent, it is not so all the time.) Talking about different races, I find, say, Ethiopian women very attractive. But this has nothing to do with their colour. I thought about it and it probably has to do with the fact that their facial features resemble what I probably have in mind. At the same time, I find many women of another race (I won’t mention which, being politically correct) not so attractive. And this has nothing to do with me being racist. It has to do, I guess, with natural choices. In any case, I think I won’t hurt anyone despite my likes and dislikes. But, like you, I also think about my instinctive reactions and this, I hope, is a positive step towards utilizing the tools that natural selection equipped us with.

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