I am a racist (and so are you).

[Eater of Clowns]

So if this is the same experiment I'm thinking of they showed the participants pictures of people of various races that flashed quickly next to a word with either positive or negative connotations.  I forget specifically what the participant had to do, but something like identify the word as generally considered positive or negative.  They then found that people are quicker to categorize a positive word when shown a picture of a member of their own race and likewise a negative word when shown a differing race?  I'm not really describing it well enough to hold up to scrutiny, but the general idea is that there was a significant effect and pretty much across the board to one degree or another.  What it really suggested was that we have a slight preference for features similar to our own, the converse of which is a slightly negative reaction to different features.  Makes sense to me.

I did that test as a psych student, several times.  Apparently I have a slight preference for black people.

I'm white, and have always lived in predominately (if not overwhelmingly) white areas.  I'm still not sure how I got those results.

It's probably from being white and living in a predominately (if not overwhelmingly) white area.

This is interesting, but it does nothing to explain why I tend to be more distrustful of white people.

Because we've worked millenia to earn that distrust.

[Roaring Biscuit!]

So if this is the same experiment I'm thinking of they showed the participants pictures of people of various races that flashed quickly next to a word with either positive or negative connotations.  I forget specifically what the participant had to do, but something like identify the word as generally considered positive or negative.  They then found that people are quicker to categorize a positive word when shown a picture of a member of their own race and likewise a negative word when shown a differing race?  I'm not really describing it well enough to hold up to scrutiny, but the general idea is that there was a significant effect and pretty much across the board to one degree or another.  What it really suggested was that we have a slight preference for features similar to our own, the converse of which is a slightly negative reaction to different features.  Makes sense to me.

I did that test as a psych student, several times.  Apparently I have a slight preference for black people.

I'm white, and have always lived in predominately (if not overwhelmingly) white areas.  I'm still not sure how I got those results.

Did/do you have any close friends who are black?  I vaguely remember reading about that experiment, and how the results were often different in certain circumstance, i.e. "positive experience" with members of a different race would alter the results to be less superfically racist.  Still I figrue that the biological impulse in this example is pretty overrideable.

x

[Eater of Clowns]

So I wanted to make it clear my own thoughts on this idea rather than on the study itself.  This is useful but dangerous information.  Useful in that it can help people recognize and overcome a bias that has no place in modern society.  Maybe thousands of years ago it was safer to stick with people who look like you but it's dated.  It's dangerous in that it provides an excuse for actual racism.  It gives people something to point to in order to explain their racist behavior and say "look, everyone is racist, I'm just more honest about it."  And considering the former takes vigilance, self control, and effort I think it's pretty safe to assume the majority of people would tend to the latter justification.

[Doktor Howl]

It's dangerous in that it provides an excuse for actual racism. 

THIS.  Check out Capitol Grilling or the freaks at Camp Idiot for evidence.

[LMNO]

I think two important parts of Kai's post are that, one, there seems to be a natural biological capacity for racism, and that if ignored, can lead to a bunch of misleading and misguided bullshit.

So, it seems to fall in line with "Be a fucking BIPED, you fuckos!"

[Doktor Howl]

I think two important parts of Kai's post are that, one, there seems to be a natural biological capacity for racism, and that if ignored, can lead to a bunch of misleading and misguided bullshit.

So, it seems to fall in line with "Be a fucking BIPED, you fuckos!"

I have no problem with that.  I simple define "racism" as "making decisions based on race".  Having your hind brain screeching "NOT MY TRIBE" isn't racism, but acting on that screech IS.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What about mixed-race people? What about a guy who is part black, part chinese, part white, and part American indian? It gets a lot harder to be unconsciously racist when everybody looks a little like family.

[Doktor Howl]

What about mixed-race people? What about a guy who is part black, part chinese, part white, and part American indian? It gets a lot harder to be unconsciously racist when everybody looks a little like family.

Then you hate on Canadians.  Not hard to do, what with them mooning us with their frozen bits from across the border, from their disgustingly clean and underpopulated permafrost.  Fuck those guys, they're nothing but trouble.  And they make shitty whiskey.

[Cramulus]

I was reading up about racism on wikipedia and stumbled upon this list of ethnic slurs. It's interesting to learn the origin of some of those terms.

When they were doing the original research on racism, they didn't get great results. That's because many people are prejudiced but won't admit it, or may not even be consciously aware of it. A lot of the more recent research on racism has to do with trying to uncover people's stereotypes and prejudices without tipping the off about it. It turns out a lot of people hold racist attitudes they're not even aware of, like in the aforementioned case of rating a word as being less positive after being flashed an image of a black guy's face. Interesting stuff.

[BabylonHoruv]

I think awareness is as good a solution as we're going to get.

On a related note, what disturbs me is that while racism is largely frowned upon, classism is widely accepted.

Classism is good.  Rich people are bad and we need to get to rising up against them as soon as possible.  I'm going to hold to that stance until my wife's big break comes though and I change classes, at which point the poor are all rabble who need to be kept in line so they don't rise up.

On another note, you can change classes, moving from poor to rich may be difficult and unlikely, but moving from rich to poor is easy.

[BabylonHoruv]

What about mixed-race people? What about a guy who is part black, part chinese, part white, and part American indian? It gets a lot harder to be unconsciously racist when everybody looks a little like family.

That was my point.  Although most likely his brain is still going to pick up on which people look more like him unconsciously.

[LMNO]

As a rich person, I am offended.

Offended, I say!
     /

[Remington]

What about mixed-race people? What about a guy who is part black, part chinese, part white, and part American indian? It gets a lot harder to be unconsciously racist when everybody looks a little like family.

Then you hate on Canadians.  Not hard to do, what with them mooning us with their frozen bits from across the border, from their disgustingly clean and underpopulated permafrost.  Fuck those guys, they're nothing but trouble.  And they make shitty whiskey.

We hate you guys back 

We do it quietly and politely, though.

[Faust]

It's probably because you're one of those WHITE DEVILS.

srsly, though, you people are evil incarnate.

The White Man is a joke.

Also I'd agree with the OP in  people with little experience in dealing with diverse makes and models of other people. I know for a fact that over time working in the service industry I have grown confident with any new person and have grown to hate the public in general. Once you've seen big little, thin/fat black or white or Burberry enough times it all blends into one.

Well there is one exception. There is a girl who comes into the shop, she has obviously survived a fire. There are so many questions I want to ask her, but they all relate to what happened and coping with deformity, to the extent that I act a little bashful when talking to her.

[Nast]

IMO, having biologically-based xenophobic impulses = not racist

Acting upon those impulses = racist