Based on the AAPA article, I am very shocked at how much more information there is known on the idea of race. Race has always been considered a proven topic, and it seems that we are all taught the same ideas about it. Until I started my college courses, I had never questioned the concept of race, and I was under the impression that there were biological differences between groups of people. However, I quickly learned in my classes that race was more closely related to a social construct that was created years ago for white supremacists to maintain power over minorities. The AAPA article backs up that claim with real, scientific evidence (that is, quite frankly, hard to argue with).
The excerpt from the piece that stuck out most to me was when the author mentioned that genetic diversity is throughout all populations, so we are not separated by race considering there is variation in each “race.” The paragraph continues with mentioning that homogenous races/populations do not exist at all in present society, and that there is no proof of it ever existing in the past either. I was fascinated with this information because it shows that majority of what we have been taught as we grew up was based on lies. The previous claim is completely supported by this paragraph because it makes sense that the idea of an inferior race would be created for the white race to hold control.
The AAA organization also provided some eye-opening facts in their statement. The article touches on the same ideas as the AAPA piece, however a slightly different topic stuck out to me. It is mentioned that majority of the characteristics that we associate with race, are due to external factors rather than biological ones. The author discusses that curly hair or specific facial structures that may be associated with one race are actually caused by environmental effects such as climate or distance from the equator. With this in mind, two people that are genetically varied could share these same traits because of their location. This information presents the connection of race/biological differences as subjective and as a construct.
The AAA article shocked me because I never questioned the concept of race or what it actually entails. I listened to what I was taught and never assumed otherwise. The information is interesting to me because it shows me that the issues and opinions regarding race are invalid. There are no real, biological differences between people; instead there are only phenotypic differences woven throughout populations. Also, these phenotypic differences can be present in anyone of any race and are not favored for any specific group. I am curious as to why the studies of the organizations are not more public or discussed in other fields, such as politics. These conclusions can disprove a lot of unethical beliefs and educate the many that carry those beliefs. I hope to see more exposure of organizations such as these considering their information is so relevant in present-day society.
Thank you Rachael for your posting! I really liked how you kept going back on the idea that grown up you only listened to what you were hearing instead of maybe the entire truth. This is how a-lot of stereotypes are started because we go around assuming and trusting peoples words without getting the entire truth. In my post I talked about how people believe the color of your skin reflects your personality and it goes along with what you said about our environment changes more of our characteristics than our biological genes do. Anyone, black or white born into a wealthy family will grow up being in the upper class and be more intelligent due to a better education. If we dive in and look at the other characteristics we have they are all the same when it comes to hair type, eye color, and body forms. I think the most important aspect here is that the characteristics we are born with is nothing other than our bodies adapting in order to survive. Thanks again for sharing your views, this whole topic is interesting. We need more people in this world with the scientific knowledge of race.
I thought your explanation on society’s role in understanding the concept of race interesting. Despite the proven genetic similarity, the misconceptions of race are still relevant in daily societal life. But why is this so? I think it because we have now come to a point where it is an important part of our identity. Based on past events and the continuation of the difference of treatment, people from these different “races” have found a reason to distance themselves and find comradery with each other. Race is important for our identity sometimes. But despite that, I do agree with you that there needs to be more education on this to change societal views/misconceptions as well as more educated individuals who special in “race” to do just that.
Hi,
I enjoyed your blog when touching on how eye-opening some of the facts were. I thought it was interesting when the AAA organization discussed that curly hair or specific facial structures may be associated with one or more races. Just like how Asians typically straight hair have but Korean’s can have curly hair as well more often than other Asians. This could be due to how far north they are comparatively to the rest of the Asia. I also thought it was interesting on the position that both AAA and AAPA elaborate on similar positions in such that races/populations are scientifically irrelevant as races were made to control people with the idea of an inferior race for white supremacists to withhold.
Hello Rachel,
You brought up a great point about how until you learned more about it in college, you thought race was a legitimate way of classifying people. I thought a very similarly. Until I took biology courses in college I assumed that if someone appeared different, that there must be something genetic that makes them different. The more I learned the less I believed that until eventually realizing that is only a social construction meant to discriminate and promote supremacy of one race. Another student’s blog that I read said that a bowl of fruit can have many different things in it but it is still classified as fruit because of the similarities that each different type of fruit share. There is a lot to be learned from this because when we look at other things we classify them on their similarities, yet when we look at ourselves we classify by what is different among us. Overall I felt that I agree with much of what you wrote and it really is eye-opening to see information about something I never questioned before.