Racism
What Is Racism?
Racism is a term that has an apparent effect on our day to day activities, yet it is a term that is often oversimplified. According to the Merriam- Webster Dictionary, it is defined as “a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race”.
The way we perceive this definition is ever-changing with new social constructs and new ideas that have been instilled over time, yet a concept that has endured discrimination and racial superiority.
VUCA Concept
Volatility:
Racism in a sense is free-flowing, as it is always changing in meaning, and how we perceive it depends on social constructs and our way of thinking at a certain point in time.
Uncertainty:
Racism is a very widely perceived term. This causes racism to take shape in different forms in different cultures, hence making it difficult to understand racism as a whole.
Complexity:
Racism is something that is socially engraved into society, which causes many to subconsciously behave racist to a capacity where it plays out across cultural, political, economic, and social structures.
Ambiguity:
Racism is ambiguous in the fact that since many are becoming more aware of the term, many are perceiving some behaviors racist but in actuality is not, making it difficult to decide what racism actually covers.
I’m not a racist, why should it be important to me?
The saying “nobody is born racist” is a popular trend that is used to highlight that most types of racism is structural and is ingrained into society. Many behave in a racist or xenophobic way without being conscious of doing so. An example of this can be as simple as asking an Asian where the nearest sushi restaurant is. A question that was asked based on their ethnic background which undermines the individual’s sense of identity, affecting their health and well-being.
Structural racism is an unconscious way of thinking, so constantly reminding someone to stop being racist would be ineffective. To stop racism, we would need to reconstruct society to have anti-racist ideals at a structural level, which would take society as a whole for this idea to be effective.
How do I face racism?
Many of us don’t receive the chance to fight for racism through demonstrations and taking the fight to the government. Here are a few ways we can face racism in our day to day lives:
· Recognize and take the issue of racist “jokes” or statements
· Support other people of color and interact in exchanges of opinions about racism
· Examine your own subconscious biases and form habits to suppress them
· Most importantly, understand your own privileges and use it to empower others.
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