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Monday, January 16, 2017

When race fades

Nothing like being told you're innately superior and don't have to work for it. Which can sit with different people different ways. And I admit to at times studying the people who wish to believe they are somehow born innately superior to other human beings, especially when it is about race. And that was a pragmatic thing to do, as I grew up in the Deep South in Tifton, Georgia, USA and race was definitely a topic of discussion.

Figuring out some people want deeply to feel special, innately, explains all of American racism. But I've discussed it more in-depth years ago back 2011, on another of my blogs, for those who don't mind my very opinionated take on it.

Most people in this country want to actually work for their respect. It's actually a taught thing which is part of the American Way which is a phrase that seems to have gone out of favor. I wonder why.

But merit matters.

Which means you can actually even do well with people who may be misguided on topics like race as they don't know better, once they learn from reality. And lack of enough experience with fellow humans is key I think. And the web is doing MUCH to separate fact from fiction which is producing some shock-waves around the globe and in my country. It's one thing to spout fictions about race to gullible members of your community who don't see people of other races much or do so in very narrow contexts, and another if they can just see on the web that you're deluded.

Merit matters more as what can you do really with an opinion if people want results? It's one thing to believe you're superior, but another to be the best at skills, in a world where skills matter.

Today is observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States and it does often have me contemplating how much damage some humans can do to others just to feel a certain way about themselves and how one man can do much by focusing on common decency.

We get born, do our things for a bit, and then go on. Beliefs about what really happens with death can vary, but we all can be sure about that middle part between birth and death, as a period when we learn things, try things, and interact quite a bit with our fellow human beings. Personally wouldn't even want to be innately superior. Quite enjoy communicating well, as best I can, with my fellow humans versus talking down to anyone. And what does it matter for those who operate otherwise?

Grasping for something not worth having the grip loosens regardless no matter what, in time.

Turns out race as a concept is one of those odd human inventions which will fade in time, and history will be there for future humans to wonder, how it even happened.

We humans are remarkable in lots of things, where it is very human to so remark. We do think about ourselves a lot, as a species.

The meta of the human species is that humanity itself IS a meta species. Endlessly reflecting to itself, about itself, through its members. And how else would we do it?

I like it myself. Endlessly fascinated by the endless information we humans share about ourselves and our views of our world. Does help pass the time.


James Harris

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