Race. Whats the point?

[Niicha]

Hey, dark skinned people are just angels, reincarnated as humans, who refused to pick a side when Satan rebelled against Yahweh!

At least that what Mormons taught until the 70s.

Seriously though, race is as outdated as vinyl records.

Don't forget that Indians are Israelites... Somehow

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Considering that there is apparently as much genetic variation within a race as across it, the distinction of race is even more arbitrary and fluid than the distinction of species.

[Pevisopolis]

I don't get the concept of race. Really, what difference does melanin levels and recurring traits make in a person's character?

I hereby challenge someone on this thread to show me the exact genetic differences between the brains of Europeans and Asians.

God, how I love wild goose chases on teh interwebz.

[Milks Empire]

I didn't think that there was much of an intellectual difference between the races.

There's a difference in academic achievement, but that has nothing to do with skin color and everything to do with the lack of money in the schools people of color tend to wind up in.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

There's a difference in academic achievement, but that has nothing to do with skin color and everything to do with the lack of money in the schools people of color tend to wind up in.

No, it clearly has to do with us making excuses for the bad behavior of blacks.

In case you can't tell, I'm referencing Hiddenrun.

[North Wiedna]

Seriously though, race is as outdated as vinyl records.

But the songs on vinyl records are still popular today. What does that mean?

They're on iTunes, so it's all good.

Yes, but if race is the record, the rhetoric is the music.

[Funk4ever]

I happen to like auto racing.

[The Romulan Republic]

Seriously though, the concept of race is it exists today is primarily there to identify people. If you're in a crowd of white people and there's one black guy doing something awesome like... uh... riding a unicycle made of fire, you can say "HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT BLACK DUDE" instead of "HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT DUDE WITH THE BLACK HAIR AND UH AVERAGE CLOTHES".

I mean, in this case you can say "OH GOD UNICYCLE OF FIRE," but the point stands.

Nothing wrong with using it as a descriptor of someone's physical appearance. The problems start when one uses it as a basis on which to assume what a person is capable of or how they will behave, or as grounds on which to treat them differently.

I feel that race should have about the same significance in our society as hair or eye color (which should probably both have less significance than they do).

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Race matters because Redgaurds (blacks) get weapon and athletics bonuses, Bretons (Northwestern Europeans) get magicka and intellectual bonuses, and Nords (Northeastern Europeans) get armor and strength bonuses.

Cookie for the reference.

[New Kereptica]

Race matters because Redgaurds (blacks) get weapon and athletics bonuses, Bretons (Northwestern Europeans) get magicka and intellectual bonuses, and Nords (Northeastern Europeans) get armor and strength bonuses.

Cookie for the reference.

Elder Scrolls, right?

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Elder Scrolls, right?

[Rhodmhire]

The point is that Race A has skin color A and Race B has skin color B, and people assume one race is better because they think their skin color is cooler, or that the other one treated their race like shit so they're entitled to think they're better.

I suppose arguably it may extend further than that, but you get my point.

However, Race A is not limited to performance capabilites A, and Race B is not limited to performance capabilities B.

Something like that.

Also, it's insignificant for the most part.

[New Kereptica]

Elder Scrolls, right?

That certainly looks like a good cookie. And enormous too.

[Kejoh]

The point is that Race A has skin color A and Race B has skin color B, and people assume one race is better because they think their skin color is cooler, or that the other one treated their race like shit so they're entitled to think they're better.

I suppose arguably it may extend further than that, but you get my point.

However, Race A is not limited to performance capabilites A, and Race B is not limited to performance capabilities B.

Something like that.

little known fact - the genetic difference (and hence the actual difference) between any two humans on earth is less than that between some chimpanzee siblings. so we're all basically the same.

[Kejoh]

also, is it racism to say that, on the whole, blacks are better at sprints, whites can swim fast and the chinese rock at table tennis?

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

little known fact - the genetic difference (and hence the actual difference) between any two humans on earth is less than that between some chimpanzee siblings. so we're all basically the same.

True, there is very little variance in humans compared to most other organisms on the planet. This is mostly due to a population bottle-neck that occurred a long time ago.

[New Kereptica]

also, is it racism to say that, on the whole, blacks are better at sprints, whites can swim fast and the chinese rock at table tennis?

Perhaps, but it is definitely rather idiotic to claim "chinese" as a race.

[Rhodmhire]

The point is that Race A has skin color A and Race B has skin color B, and people assume one race is better because they think their skin color is cooler, or that the other one treated their race like shit so they're entitled to think they're better.

I suppose arguably it may extend further than that, but you get my point.

However, Race A is not limited to performance capabilites A, and Race B is not limited to performance capabilities B.

Something like that.

little known fact - the genetic difference (and hence the actual difference) between any two humans on earth is less than that between some chimpanzee siblings. so we're all basically the same.

Exactly why the only relevant reason race should even be discussed is for reflection on the past and for cultural embracing in some cases.

Other than that, race is irrelevant and shouldn't even be brought up.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

also, is it racism to say that, on the whole, blacks are better at sprints, whites can swim fast and the chinese rock at table tennis?

A lot of the blacks that do really well at sprinting come from Kenya. Kenya is a very elevated country so Kenyans tend to have thicker blood than most. You do the rest of the math.

[Rhodmhire]

also, is it racism to say that, on the whole, blacks are better at sprints, whites can swim fast and the chinese rock at table tennis?

That has literally nothing to do with the coloration of one's skin.

[Kejoh]

also, is it racism to say that, on the whole, blacks are better at sprints, whites can swim fast and the chinese rock at table tennis?

That has literally nothing to do with the coloration of one's skin.

thats true actually. ok, so africans are good at sprinting, europeans can swim fast and chinese people always win the ping pong. because i suppose an albino african isn't automatically going to be really good at swimming.

[Niicha]

Race matters because Redgaurds (blacks) get weapon and athletics bonuses, Bretons (Northwestern Europeans) get magicka and intellectual bonuses, and Nords (Northeastern Europeans) get armor and strength bonuses.

Cookie for the reference.

I know the answer of Elder Scrolls has already been given, but this just reminded me of a discussion I had with a friend on what each human race's real life counterpart was. We determined that the Redguard was akin to the "moors" because of their strong ethical qualms against magic.

By the way, the best "race" is Bretons.
Just saying.

[Kejoh]

also, is it racism to say that, on the whole, blacks are better at sprints, whites can swim fast and the chinese rock at table tennis?

A lot of the blacks that do really well at sprinting come from Kenya. Kenya is a very elevated country so Kenyans tend to have thicker blood than most. You do the rest of the math.

again, thats true. but also it is in the african gene pool to be a better-than-usual sprinter. same from europeans and swimming, and as far as i know true for chinese and ping pong, or wiff-waff. but is it racist to accept than Kenyans can often sprint really, really fast?
also, usain bolt?

[Kejoh]

Race matters because Redgaurds (blacks) get weapon and athletics bonuses, Bretons (Northwestern Europeans) get magicka and intellectual bonuses, and Nords (Northeastern Europeans) get armor and strength bonuses.

Cookie for the reference.

I know the answer of Elder Scrolls has already been given, but this just reminded me of a discussion I had with a friend on what each human race's real life counterpart was. We determined that the Redguard was akin to the "moors" because of their strong ethical qualms against magic.

By the way, the best "race" is Bretons.
Just saying.

argonians are the best-est. water breathing? poison immunity? resist disease? ok, they dont get great skill bonuses, but that leaves more room for level-ups

[Dolphin Girl]

Race Culture is important because it's a part of our individual identities and is sometimes a basis for the formation of communities.

Fix'd

Um, no. Race and culture are different things. Race, in the sense of human classification, deals with genetic traits. Culture has no biological basis.