Race, An Illusion or Not?

Race, it is a topic that has been prominent in life and culture as far back as history can recognize it, meaning as far back as when humans happened to think that people aren’t just people, and must be categorized. The way I look at race isn’t just from one standpoint, it is from many. I can come from a scientific standpoint, a Biblical/religious standpoint or just my own observational and learning standpoint. I think that race is not an illusion as was portrayed in the film and readings. Race is a real thing, it is an obvious thing but it does not have to be a negative thing. It is something unavoidable. Visual differences are apparent in things such as: skin color, hair type and facial differences (eyes,etc.) I understand that humans are humans, and race should not have stereotypes associated with them and the film showed that many of the people who were involved in the DNA study, were surprised to find how alike they really were. Because they say something, and they act a certain way, does not mean they really feel that way. Just because someone may look different from myself, does not mean I am going to judge them differently which is what a large portion of the world indulges in. People love to judge, as it is a form of the negativity that has been sown into human nature. The negativity involved with race is what causes these kind of studies and arguments, to see if there are any differences between us internally, and none have been found. Or at least nothing of a great magnitude on a large scale. The stereotypes associated with race are what causes the problems. Just because a person is African-American does not mean he or she is going to be exceptionally good at any sport, or because a person is of Asian descent, he or she will be exceptionally intelligent or studious. The topics of race and stereotypes are something I am all too familiar with. I am of Indian/West Indian descent and I have graduated from an extremely diverse high school, and when I say diverse, I mean it. There were people from cultures I have never heard of until I attended said school. The schools I have attended before had a population consisting of 98% African-American students and 2% other, and that is no exaggeration. The faculty body could also fall under similar counts. Growing up a certain way, among certain people with certain attitudes causes one to think similarly. The changes I have been through personally in relation to the way I view race and culture have been dramatic. I have learned to accept people as they are, and to be proud of race. Race isn’t something we should abolish at all, it is something that differentiates people and at this moment, there is nothing we can do about it. Like I mentioned before, only the stereotypes cause harm, those stereotypes are what leads to the question “How different are we?”, in the certain way it is being questioned. People can’t just look around and accept things because that is the way we are, or rather, that is the way the majority of people are. I wouldn’t be surprised that if deep down, someone who studies the differences in genetic code among different races would hope to find a striking anomaly despite living their whole life arguing that we are all the same and just human. More and more people are becoming alike, not just because we are human and alike in the ultimate sense of the word, but people are dressing more alike and acting more alike. Many depictions of the future, be it literature, film, music all show people becoming one common race, or just one boring like unit. But there will always be someone not wanting to fall in to that ONE category, and then there will always be people who follow that person. People who enjoy the slight differences, people who take the good with the bad. As long as these people are present, race will be present, the positives and negatives also coming along for the ride. Hate is something we should abolish and not race. Race will continue to be here no matter how much we decide or try to hide it, it is something that we will have to learn as a community to embrace.