Re: Racism and ancient history
Robert Snower (rs222@worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 29 Dec 1996 21:08:16 GMT
vivacuba@ix.netcom.com(Dr. Doug) wrote:
>[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
All racists are We people. (As you say, Me people might *use* racism
for selfish ends, but as Me people, they cannot, by definition, be
racist. Only We people are racist, unpleasant as that fact may appear
to you.
Unfortunately, the We living organism which sees *all* others as
brothers and sisters does not exist. But not so unfortunately. Such
a case would obviate the possibility of evolution, thence the
possibility of you and me. The New Man of Marx and Mao and communism
cannot be constructed, a lesson history has made pretty clear.
Best wishes. rs
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