I have learned a lot in the psychology courses I have taken that relate a lot to this topic this week. The concept of individuals across the world being distinctly separated by their race is a well-known misconception. I think that the way everyone has been taught or assumed is that we are all separated genetically and biologically by our race. This idea is one that is not often openly disputed in our culture and is the root of a lot of prejudice and discrimination. This information holds a promise as a solution to end the ignorant discrimination based on differences in physical characteristics.
According to the American Anthropological Association their statement of race brought up the immense impact that culture has on this topic. It states that “the racial worldview was invented to assign some groups to perpetual low status, while others were permitted access to privilege, power, and wealth”. This quote is a perfect representation of the impact we can see on culture and race. Looking back on our world history in the United States this concept has been represented in multiple situations. For example, slavery those with darker pigmented skin were labelled as a lower status allowing those individuals with Caucasian skin to take advantage of them thinking they had some sort of genetic and cognitive superiority. Although they mention in their statement that humans regardless of their physical characteristics like skin color all have the same capacity to achieve and function any goal and the outcome is based on culture, social, economic and environmental factors rather than any inherent genetic differences. This is a huge discovery that I think needs to be more well known because the consequences that society, and socioeconomic status have on achievement and status is more detrimental than people realize rather than genetics.
In addition, the statement from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists they offered eleven different fundamental reasons as to why genetic differences are not responsible for differences in people. Going off of the viewpoint disputed in the AAA statement that people were using race as a way to take advantage of others and see themselves as superior this statement also addresses that concern. They mention that human characteristics have a universal biological value for the survival of the entire species. These traits are not seen more frequently in one population versus another and therefore it can not be concluded that there is any biological point of view that would conclude there is a superiority or inferiority of any race. This is yet another example of how culture and societies have falsely placed emphasis on there being significant differences in race.
Therefore, the high variability in physical differences across the world in people is due to environmental, social, and economic differences rather than any inherent differences in our biological and genetic makeup. We are all decedents of the same species and any of the differences in our physical appearances that we see today have all occurred as some sort of evolutionary advantage to our species as a whole.
I appreciate how you used the topic of this week as a movement in the positive direction in our society in terms of how we think and treat others. Using historical references was really powering in emphasizing the longevity of this issue and need for reform. As I’ve said in another comment, which I think is still prevalent here, I wonder what I have missed in our culture that works as a vehicle for oppression. How did the inkling of a thought of genetic superiority have an effect on other mechanisms of discrimination? I really appreciate being able to have read an anthropological view of this topic as I think I have definitely been educated on the real origins of “race” and it’s altered popular meaning in our every day life.
I really enjoy your point that our culture does not openly dispute this concept of race because it continues to drive inequality and it continues to oppress people of color and I think it is important that people start talking about the false pretenses of race. I like that you chose the first quote from the AAA, it is the embodiment of what race is and why it was created. This concept has followed society since it was created. Racism continues in modernized ways today due to this social construct. I found it really interesting reading the AAPA’s statements on why race is not biological and genetic differences don’t account for different races as well. Race is not constructed based off of biology, but like you said, rather environmental, social, and economic factors. I think this is something that needs to be talked about and addressed much more and by people in power in order to move towards a more equal society.