PC question for PFC

Kristy

I was asked today, "What race would you be, if you couldn't be the one you are?"

Which led to a 20 min debate about whether it is even ok to ask that question.
Thoughts? IRConfused with no firm answer.

compuease

Are their differences?

compuease

Although I am afraid where this could go, how many races are their? What is race?

Kristy

compuease;381384 wroteAre their differences?

Eww, srs?

Of course, there are.

Kristy

compuease;381384 wroteAre their differences?

I got the impression that the desired answer would be a country whose population is predominantly not the same skin colour as you, since someone answered "Kenyan".

GTA Poker

Asian chicks...they know what you want

compuease

GTA Poker;381388 wroteAsian chicks...they know what you want

You want to be an Asian chick?

compuease

Kristy;381387 wroteI got the impression that the desired answer would be a country whose population is predominantly not the same skin colour as you, since someone answered "Kenyan".

And that's why I asked how you define race. Kenyan is a race? Race and ethnicity are two different things..

Kristy

So answer both?

kwsteve

"One world, one people" is a line I heard in a movie once. I believe in that wholeheartedly.

However, if I had to choose a different ethnicity I would probably choose Italian. Such a rich culture, and the food...

Kristy

So nobody else knows if it is ok to answer either?

Kristy

kwsteve;381393 wrote"One world, one people" is a line I heard in a movie once. I believe in that wholeheartedly.

However, if I had to choose a different ethnicity I would probably choose Italian. Such a rich culture, and the food...

Oops, you posted while I was typing.
There are real differences between race, ethnicity, and culture. White-washing the facts only hurts minorities (and women) more.

I also feel like it minimizes strength, weakness, strife, and progress if we don't take off our heterogenous glasses and really LOOK.

I'm drunk...hope my point makes sense.

[deleted]

Don't answer Kristy

Race isn't even a real thing, we are all human.

Milo

Race - I would be the Grand Prix of Monaco.

Ethnicity . . . I am happy right where I am, as a crusty old white guy on the cusp of 50.

Kristy

OHTNCTRHM;381403 wroteDon't answer Kristy

Race isn't even a real thing, we are all human.

See if you buy that from the breeder when you go to pick up your chihuahua and are handed a pitbull.

I didn't answer the question, but there is really no way to argue that races can have differences in pretty much every measurable way. Look at average height in Japan vs. Finland, consider the tibia:femur measurements of African Americans to Caucasians...
We could compare and contrast the physical or cultural differences and have valid individual preferences.

It is assigning a societal VALUE to those differences that is wrong...I think.

trigs

there is no such thing as race. this is common knowledge in cultural studies circles.

RACE - The Power of an Illusion | Press Release

Milo

Kristy;381431 wroteSee if you buy that from the breeder when you go to pick up your chihuahua and are handed a pitbull.

Thus proving the point about ethnicity . . .

All breeds (ethnicities) are part of the larger canis lupus familiaris.

Just as Latins, Semites, Occidentals, and Caucasians are all part of the larger homo sapiens.

MsBlue

I think this is going to be one of those things where you can choose to get on the semantic merry-go-round, or you can choose the common sense path of " I know exactly what she means by the term" and and answer on that basis.

Yes, it's a societal construct, yes the "rules" that place you in one group or another change depending on era, geography, and perspective of the one viewing you. Still...we know the distinctions are there and that we are grouped by each other.

Milo

But, it is NOT semantics, it's SCIENCE. and, if you are going to tout the wonders of science in other threads, you have to accept them in ALL of them.

Science says that there is only ONE race . . . homo sapiens.

But fine . . . I'll play. If I could NOT be a white guy who was born into the privilege of a life in the western hemisphere, I would want to be a Jewish guy who was born into the privilege of a life in the western hemisphere. Not for any real reason, but simply because there would be fewer manufactured roadblocks to my success than if I were Black in America, or an Arab in Gaza, or anyone in Sudan or Syria . . .

Basically, I think it's a stupid premise as, Michael Jackson aside, you are born as you are, and that cannot change.

kwsteve

The different "races" are merely phenotypes of homo sapiens sapiens, anatomically modern humans. We are a sub-species of homo sapiens, which includes another sub-species now extinct, homo sapiens idaltu.