Is Racism wired into you genetically ?

[boyfriday]

So why do people walk past people of a different colour and sit next to someone of the same colour?

To be honest it's not something I've ever done, or been conscious of being done to me, but I can't really speak for the reasoning of the white folks you describe.

It happens Boyfriday...it really happens, I don't know why, I'm guessing what Waldo said has something to do with it, as I...admittedly, have avoided sitting next to some Muslim women, just because I think she probably would rather not have a bloke sat next to her, not because I don't like who she is.

 

I think that reaction probably describes men generally presented with the prospect of sitting next to a single woman on public transport. Ironically, on a train journey last Saturday I found myself the only man sandwiched in between a hen party of semi-drunk Geordies and was the hapless subject of their amusement. After they exited the seat next to me was taken by a middle aged white woman, despite there being other seats available, so Im not sure your theory stands up in my experience.

[Waldo]

... have avoided sitting next to some Muslim women ...

 

On the other hand, I guess it can be quite rewarding to scratch the surface a little with people who are different to us. After all, we (all people) have a lot more in common that we have differences. We all eat, sleep, go to toilet etc...

[boyfriday]

By the way, if I had my pick of 2 empty seats on the bus; one was next to some uncouth white youth, and the other next to an intelligent cultured black gentleman; I know where I'd be sitting.

 

I think you're hitting the nail on the head there, it's a subconscious knee jerk reaction and I'd say I'd much prefer to sit next to your average white bloke than the uncouth black youth, or one who appears to be, but in any event the colour doesn't come into it, I've seen black people walk past my adjacent empty seat and sit next to white folks and I've experienced the opposite.

 

Personally I'd feel self conscious taking up a seat next to a lone female if others (seats) were available, I think many of us men are hard wired to avoid any suggestion of coming across as creepy.

[Super Hans]

On the other hand, I guess it can be quite rewarding to scratch the surface a little with people who are different to us. After all, we (all people) have a lot more in common that we have differences. We all eat, sleep, go to toilet etc...

 

I'm sure it is rewarding. But as I say, if I had to sit next to anyone on a bus I would honestly avoid sitting next to like, a young Muslim girl...not in any way because I don't like her, but because I just think "She probably would rather I didn't sit there".

 

And her culture teaches that there should be firm boundaries between men and women, which is one of the reasons they wear the scarf.

 

I mean I'd have no problem sitting there, I avoid it for the benefit of her.

 

It would be interesting to see it from the perspective of a muslim women, honestly whether she feels uncomfortable with a non-muslim male sitting next to her.

[Waldo]

I think that reaction probably describes men generally presented with the prospect of sitting next to a single woman on public transport. Ironically, on a train journey last Saturday I found myself the only man sandwiched in between a hen party of semi-drunk Geordies and was the hapless subject of their amusement. After they exited the seat next to me was taken by a middle aged white woman, despite there being other seats available, so Im not sure your theory stands up in my experience.

 

Bet you were loving the hen party really!

 

Maybe it's your disposition and character that makes people perceive you as a safe option to sit next to?

[boyfriday]

Well I still use the word as do countless others so if its offensive to anyone then its their look out because I never use the word to offend.

 

That's fine and you're entitled to use it provided of course you're prepared to accept some people will tell you they find it offensive (that doesn't mean it's racist btw as Michael W suggested).

 

---------- Post added 11-12-2013 at 16:56 ----------

 

Bet you were loving the hen party really!

 

The cry "are ya 'avin a choklit Bayleees" is still ringing in my ears Waldo

 

---------- Post added 11-12-2013 at 16:58 ----------

 

Maybe it's your disposition and character that makes people perceive you as a safe option to sit next to?

 

Only the skinny ones, I usually take up two seats

[Waldo]

The cry "are ya 'avin a choklit Bayleees" is still ringing in my ears Waldo

 

Babes on the train plying you with free drink, result!! Last time on was on the train, ended up playing scrabble on iPad with some drunk firemen and a fireman's wife. Would swap trains with you any day...

[Pritt Stick]

Yes it is.

 

There was a study done and in the study they took advantage of the fact these train station cleaners went on strike, so they took a bunch of white folks and they said "Take a seat here and fill us out this form".

 

On the bench was a black guy. When the station was messy, they sat one seat further away than when they repeated the same study when it was clean.

 

To make sure this wasn't a statistical anomaly they did the same test over various different scenarios in various different places and the results all showed that when the environment is in a state of disorder...people like to 'stick to their own'.

 

This was on the BBCs Naked Scientist podcast if anyone wants to look it up in more detail.

 

But this could have been learnt behaviour as opposed to a trait they were born with.

 

---------- Post added 11-12-2013 at 17:17 ----------

 

Interesting point, mankind worked out long ago the relationship between diversity in the gene pool and future survival. If we're attracted to people of similar appearance it's because of cultural/social influences rather than a pre-disposition which would encourage the opposite.

 

Just as an example, caucasians who live in sunny climates experience a high incidence of malignant melanomas, whereas dark skinned people don't. It's probably not hard to imagine that over time, environmental conditions might dictate who lived and who died.

 

You've just said what I said earlier in the thread but much more eloquently. I hate you.

[janie48]

 

 

Well I still use the word as do countless others so if its offensive to anyone then its their look out because I never use the word to offend.

 

I was just trying to explain why some may not like the term

That's because they find it offensive, they associate it with that period of history when there was racial segregation in America, and the apartheid regime. I wouldn't use the term.

[angos]

Is this a quote, or is it you making an assertion based on your prejudice?

Yes

 

 

 

They do, and we are attracted to people who are genetically different to us.

 

Of cause we are, otherwise we would all be at it with our family members, but we are also attracted to people that are genetically similar to us and the further apart we are genetically, the less likely we are to be attracted.

 

---------- Post added 11-12-2013 at 17:43 ----------

 

Sorry for the facetious response YP. my personal belief is that free from external influences kids would...... Actually, I have no idea whether kids from the same ethnic might favour each other. I was originally going to say race and ethnicity would play no part and then realised I didn't actually know.

 

---------- Post added 11-12-2013 at 14:54 ----------

 

 

Angos - skin change colour was a gradual process over many generations. Please go and read some basic evolutionary biology. Why Asian and White people are phenotypically similar but different colours; why Chinese people's eyes are different to ours, etc. cheers.

 

Scientists said yesterday that they have discovered a tiny genetic mutation that largely explains the first appearance of white skin in humans tens of thousands of years ago, a finding that helps solve one of biology's most enduring mysteries and illuminates one of humanity's greatest sources of strife.

 

The work suggests that the skin-whitening mutation occurred by chance in a single individual after the first human exodus from Africa, when all people were brown-skinned. That person's offspring apparently thrived as humans moved northward into what is now Europe, helping to give rise to the lightest of the world's races.