Re: Racism and ancient history
Dr. Doug (vivacuba@ix.netcom.com(Dr.)
29 Dec 1996 18:59:08 GMT
[delete for reason of brevity]
>"Color" is not definitive of "racism," of course. Any marker will do,
>e.g., smell, geography, religion, totem, moiety, section, political
>opinion. "Racism" is the counterpoint of "kinship," in the broadest
>sense: ethnocentric favoritism as against egocentric favoritism.
>Unless you confine your meaning of "racism" to the FRAUDULENT
>attribution of differences--group differences which do not really
>exist. Then "racism" becomes simply a "sub-species" of the general
>phenomenon.
>
>The only way to lick a culture of racism is to offer an alternative:
>a culture of individualism. Individual merit as against group merit.
>
>Best wishes. Robert Snower
>
I think you may have a valid point here. "Rascism" can be interpreted
as meaning any arbitrary seperation of "them" and "us" which is
immutable and permanent.
But I do think racism is USED by those at the top of the economic
ladder to stay at the top of the ladder. Obviously the people at the
top have the most influence with the rest of us. They will need to
keep those of us at various levels divided against ourselves. I
believe this is how rascism comes to be a cultural institution. It's
really part of the Me Society.
I think that a We consciousness is the only real antidote to this
sickness. We people reject the notion of genetic inferiority. We
people see all other people as brothers and sisters.
Happy New Year, Brothers & Sisters!
Dr. Doug
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