What are the origins of racism and where did it come from?

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BohemianBoo · M

It's an evolutionary defense mechanism. We're extra cautious and suspicious of tribes that are different from our own.

flipper1966 · M

@BohemianBoo Like I said -- paranoia.

BohemianBoo · M

@flipper1966 Yeah, but in order to survive for most of history, we kinda had to be paranoid. The problem is now, because tribalism is baked into our genes, it's hard to overcome racism.

flipper1966 · M

@BohemianBoo Baked into our genes. Exactly!

CountScrofula · 41-45, M

So although xenophobia has always existed, racism as we understand it starts with colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade.

Prior to that the notion of skin colour equating to quality didn't really exist it was more "us" and "not us".

flipper1966 · M

The origin of racism, psychologically speaking, is paranoia. People feel threatend by other people different from themselves. I suppose you could say that the ultimate origins of racism lay in fear.

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Mamapolo2016 · F

I think the oppression caused a little guilt until the slavers decided to pretend their victims were less than human, all evidence to the contrary. Although is some cultures, slaves could rise to high stations.

It's all so nonesensicle.

GeistInTheMachine · 31-35, M

Inherent human tribalist nature and then colonial struggle later on.

Man is the virus.

flipper1966 · M

@GeistInTheMachine Tribalism is a euphemism for paranoia. "We're good guys. Those people are the bad guys." Tribalism is related to black and white thinking (no pun intended).

GeistInTheMachine · 31-35, M

@flipper1966 Humanity in a nutshell.

Elessar · 26-30, M

Tribalism. "My tribe is better than yours"

basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M

@Elessar to an extent, but I mean in the ancient world we didn't really rank people socially based on skin colour during the Greek, Persian, Egyptian, etc. times.

Elessar · 26-30, M

@basilfawlty89 We've changed the metric, I suppose. I'm not sure when it was skin color to become the dominant thing, perhaps colonization?

Witt09 · 36-40, M

From Europe , UK and US make it worse

basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M

Racism was merely an excuse for the elite of that time to justify treating others like crap for land and resources.

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