Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
(Post 1743193)
It's kind of revisiting the racism stuff you and I discussed earlier. This time KSig was telling preciousjeni to be less cryptic and less appealing to a higher authority in her racism postings. But he meant that in theory than practice because he didn't really want a more detailed post. :)
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Nice
ad hominem - even if this is true (I'll say it's not and find it insulting, you'll disagree for basically the same reasons), it doesn't make me wrong. Logical fallacies ahoy!
I'll take the bait - my short response before was to allow some time to ruminate . . . surely that's allowed?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
(Post 1743193)
So when I type about it on GC, it will always read cryptic to some people. But since this is the "shocked and disgusted thread," I will get more specific and say that the messages in this thread are ways in which racial groups have perpetuated the racist structure through messages sent during this election. These are examples of how social interaction and dialogue shape the racist structure at the individual-level.
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I agree completely, and this is exactly what I wanted to be spelled out. This is something that people need to have handed to them, it's not something they'll automatically intuit on their own (or even extrapolate when given the facts). This is, in my opinion, a combination of confirmation bias and the clouding effect of personal experience, along with a heavy dose of cognitive dissonance - after all, no one wants to feel "racist" (properly, prejudiced).
I ask for this because research indicates that people only account for racial bias in decision making (the only studies I can cite offhand involve jury decision making, but this is generally applicable to other areas) when we
literally and strongly ask them to. For example, most whites simply don't think about the white power structure - after all, things seem to work out fine, and most feel like they treat minorities "fine" on an individual level, so surely they're not part of the problem, right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
(Post 1743193)
This is in the form of interracial accusations based on conjecture. Examples from whites: Obama was just elected because he is black, now we whites can stop feeling guilty over racism because that's what racism was all about (making whites feel guilty); examples from nonwhites: white people are afraid of a black presidency so we should be suspicious of the words and actions of whites--even though a lot of Obama's votes came from whites.
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This is one reason why many discounted the so-called "Bradley Effect" at the polls (the former, obviously).
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
(Post 1743193)
Though there are power differentials at play, each side accuses the other side of something based on hasty conclusions or poorly put together facts (some of which are difficult to prove true or false so they pointlessly linger) and this perpetuates an atmosphere of distrust and apprehension. This atmosphere has the potential to cloud the real covert and overt racism that is going on. Diversion tactics make the racist structure "smile" because everyone's too busy being loony and silly over the silly and loony stuff. Similar to people who are preoccupied by looking for racists like they're playing a game of "Where's Waldo."
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This exact reasoning is why I think it's important and useful to have a "low-yield" conversation on race and race relations in the United States. It's far too easy for someone to say "I'm not a racist! Racism is going away!" then follow an inane sort of reasoning like:
"50% of incarcerated males are black, even though 20% of the local male population is black - but black males are also, according to statistics, more likely to participate in drug use or gang activity, and so I won't worry about the disparity."
It's this sort of semi-logic that reminds me most of the "Where's Waldo?" example, and I feel it's an endemic flaw. I doubt you disagree, but it appears you're resigned to this, and would rather accuse me of being short-sighted than tell me more about it. That's fair - it's not your job to help me out.
I guess that also reveals something additional about my motives for even continuing this discussion - one of my worries is that the global joy over how "progressive" it is to have a black President in the US will allow a sort of 'resting on the laurels' for people who otherwise have the ability to make a difference.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
(Post 1743193)
To change it we ALL have to be critical of our language and actions as they contribute to a cycle in different ways. I'm just talking about the individual-level because that's the level that most people can touch and feel so they feel more empowered to change it. That is partially about prejudice and how people defend group position or respond to fear, however the individual-level alone will not break down the racist structure.
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I think this is the most important and salient paragraph of the thread.
