If society has not labeled us per race, color, or gender, would racial discrimin

1. 72

   Chernikalposted 8 years ago

   If society has not labeled us per race, color, or gender, would racial discrimination exist?
   
   In other words, if people weren't labeled per color, race, or gender, would racial discrimination exist within ethnic groups?

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2. 69

   lisavollrathposted 8 years ago

   Unfortunately, I think most of mankind tends to sort itself into groups of "us" and "them", and we've been doing that since Ancient times. If there's something that some people do, or are, or look like, that's other than what the majority does, they become "them".
   
   I'm sure if we didn't label people by color, or race, or gender, or sexual orientation, or religion, or ethnicity, we'd still be persecuting people who had red hair, or eyes of two different colors, or people who are 7 feet tall.
   
   I'm not sure how to defeat this tendency to sort ourselves into groups, but it does seem to be ingrained in who we are. Just put six little kids into a room together, and they'll eventually gang up on one, for no real reason, other than some real or perceived difference.
   
   Which leads me to this: discrimination is leftover from some past time, when sorting ourselves into us and them meant surviving. It now serves no useful purpose, like wisdom teeth and the appendix.

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3. 76

   tsmogposted 8 years ago

   To answer the question it would be yes. Agreeing with Lisa it is almost innate to use any difference to separate or classify each other. I mean after all we discriminate by language and even dialect. I remember when young moving from California to West Virginia being discriminated against. Then, three years later now with a West Virginia accent moving back to California being discriminated for being a hillbilly.

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4. 71

   dashingscorpioposted 8 years ago

   
   
   Absolutely yes!
   The reality is mankind has always looked for ways to differentiate itself from one another. It's a competitive nature within us to want to be "the best" or have "the best".
   If everyone got the exact same thing or looked the exact same way we would still try to find a way to distinguish ourselves from one another. Someone has to be on top , the star, or king.
   People with "blue eyes" are smarter than those with "brown eyes" or "taller people" are more attractive than "shorter people". There would be (something) found to separate us!
   There's a reason why we have GPAs instead of a simple pass & fail for school classes. Most people are consumed with how they {compare to others} and what the "rankings" are for schools, cars, cell phones,  and the like. Traveling "first class" is better than "coach". 5 Star hotels & restaurants, mansions, yachts, Bentleys, Rolexes, other consumables exist to allow others to "shine" and put the rest on notice. I'm not like you. I've made it!
   In essence most people feel equality equals mediocrity or "average".
   What people really want is an equal opportunity to become someone "special"!
   The goal for many people is to belong to an "exclusive class" with perks that separate them from the "huddled masses".
   VIPs don't have to stand in line, that's for 'losers". LOL!

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