Why can we not talk about issues of race without making each other awkward or uncomfortable?
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The workplace can be a inconvenient place to address issues about race. We have quations that we would like to ask each other but are often ill received and treated with suspicion. Why can't we just talk?
Answers to this question:It's because we've been taught that these issues are sensitive. As long as we consider them to be sensitive, they will continue to be. When I was very little and saw my first black man, I asked my mom why he was black. It was simple curiosity with no boundaries. She was appalled. He was amused and let me touch him, though my mom tried to stop me. It was the beginning of my education in the practice of prejudice.
Unfortunately, those who have experienced prejudice and had race hatred directed at them will probably expect more of that in the future and so talking to the few who might be bitter about it could be difficult. I knew such a black woman and she assumed that I disliked her for her color before she even really got to know me. In reality, I disliked her for her sloppy work (I was her boss), tardiness and habit of smoking marijuana in the stock room. Anyway, I think it is also an issue of "once bitten, twice shy," as they say. So we worry about what we can say and what we had darn well better not.
Also, some folks would be right to assume that slurs may take the form of pretended curiosity ... ulterior motives and all that. Humans are such a contentious lot by nature and I am not sure there will ever be an answer to the problem.
When I asked a black friend in high school if she had ever had a sunburn it took a lot of talking for her to understand that I was really and truly only curious to know if that could happen.
All we can do is do our best to get along as best we can.
Our society is like a patient who is recovering from a most serious and dangerous surgery; you might compare it to a heart transplant. The recovery is long, slow, and fraught with danger. We are still being affected by the trauma of this radical operation, but we are healing slowly but surely- as they say- these things take time. If we all try to follow the "doctor's" orders, and want to get well, soon, we will be. We'll be a nation with a brand new heart pumping strong and steady. Someday we'll be able to compare our scars and discuss this surgery with each other- wondering how we ever survived it. Well, for one thing, we had the best doctor in the world, and we all know who he is. If we continue to do our part, we'll all be strong and healthy again soon. Right now, we are living in the healing time.
Very good question, Michael. I would love to be able to discuss race issues on SearchWarp openly, I think it could be one of the most important uses for SearchWarp ever. I've learned quite a bit about different races and cultures over the years here, but I don't know how to start the discussion without getting blasted.
Any ideas?
I'm not going anywhere near your cheese- Last time I had to hire a lawyer 'an everthang- Racehorse doesen't come cheap you know.
Bruce what a great idea. I think we must set up certain basic rules and get contributors to commit to the process. Ground rules no blaming shaming and disrespect. I am willing to jump in as co-facilitator. Email me to get the ball rolling.
I have been doing exploratory dialogues on various campuses because of the book that I have just published, Flatline To Change: Identity, Reality, Conflict, Engagement. Young people liked the commitment to listen to their stories non judgmentally!
Sending you an email now...
I sometimes wonder in my heart, God, when you later had no choice but to change the people's dialect after discovering the wickedness and greed in the people (Genesis 11) so now some people don't understand another's language and even the colour of the skin differs from one another. Amazing !
God draws a certain boundary the people have to bear the consequence with effort we need to learn from there, learn to accept others!
The answer in my eyes is simple Michael.
People are so fearful these days that their point of view will be seen as being "Politically incorrect" and therefore they have a tendency to avoid the subject all together. Many times have I had conversations involving race and once the lid is lifted and people relax it is great but it is the same as with any conversation, A persons point of view should be respected and not argued about.
It is these arguments that ALWAYS get out of hand and I must admit there are a few people that I do not have these sort of conversations with as I know that they can not understand that we are all entitled to our own opinions and points of view.
And we need to try to understand how and why these people came to possess these opinions and views. You have just stated the feelings of about 98% of the population on this subject.
You shouldnt be ashamed of your race because you cant choose where or who you were born to. You shouldnt be too proud of it either because you havent really achieved anything by being born into a certain race. If all you have to be proud of in your life, is where or who you were born to, then lets face it, you havent really done much have you? People feel awkward about it because you can never change your race, so whats the point in talking about it in the workplace?
Because racial prejudice is taboo yet very real.
Because we cannot be honest.
As human we are very emotional creature and we tend to be defensive and take things personally.
Because we are too worried about what another race will think of our ideas/opinions.
This is a question that does have a clear answer. I can devise from your question that it does have an answer but we it is not a simple one and I expect one that goes back a long time.
There are reasons why we have different religions and races obviously because since the evolving of mankind we have spread out over the earth each to their own and taken upon their/our own creeds and cultures. Over time these "indifferences" clash with each other (Due to non-knowledge) and that is why even in todays modern society where we can talk in a settled and civilised way to each other about these things that we still can feel uncomfortable.
However understanding this can mean overcoming your uncomfortableness to talk about other peoples race in the workplace. What we must try to do is keep up the good fight and put aside that which is evil and wrong and be just and fair to one and all despite race, religion, creed or culture.
I think the biggest reason is based on the environment we were brought up in. I was brought up in a WASP community. It was pretty white. My son however, goes to a school that has kids from all parts of the world, as we live in the greater Vancouver region in Canada. His friends are Korean, Chinese, Phillipino. He's got five cousins whose father's are Nigerian. Like anything in life, the early children are exposed to it, the more likely they are to adapt to it. Expose children to racism early, they will most likely produce the fruit accordingly.
It's important to be aware of the history, as well. History plays an important part in these issues.
The only way is to change the system of education right from kindergarten. Expose the children to different cultures and also continue to educate their minds positively and force them into positive thinking and behaviour. Education is the key to everything.
You seem to be a well-rounded conversationist.
I think it's because it's a issue that is very sensitive for many and raises a lot of feelings. I personally don't understand racists since I can't see that one race is any better than another.
Because perhaps in our dealings with each other we're reluctant to face the truth, whatever it is. The awkwardness comes partly from the fact that we're not sure what we will do if the other person is uncomfortable. We're scared to take the risk. What if we hurt them, what if they're angry, what if they judge us? What if we get in a fight, what if we don't know how to sort it out?
So we don't let ourselves speak, we don't let ourselves try. We just stay stuck in imagining what they might think or feel. And they're probably doing the same thing.
We're reluctant to let other people be responsible for what they feel. We're reluctant to believe that they can actually handle their own feelings and reactions, we don't give them the benefit of the doubt.
The sixties niaive hopes of racial melting pots never happened because we human beings are fundamentally different and want to remain so. Untill we truly respect each other we will never reduce the suspicion encouraged by social stereotyping which promotes scapegoating and blame.
Take a risk, ask the question, grow.....
There is a place of kindness from which you can ask any question. It may take time for that person to feel secure enough with themselves to face your questions openly. Tread softly and take the time to develop a rapport with someone.
Because deep down we are hypocrites, afraid to be judged, worry we don't be liked and especially we would not like to be called racists.
We all know it is a very sensitive subject and true is, that every coin has got two sides. Sometimes for an individual might be difficult to stay objective, base on personal experiences.
It is wonderful to see so many intelligent and sensitive answers to this question. In my experience, it is rare to be able to address this issue without a lot of anger, hurt and reactivity.
I particularly appreciate the responses from Gregory Lewis.
I find that when I start trying to talk about racism and racial prejudices, white people like to deny that they have any such prejudices or conditioning.
White people have been brainwashed for hundreds of years to see African people as inferior and to believe stereotypes. These stereotypes were adopted in order to justify the enslavement of African people.
When we look at the history of what has been done to people in Africa, the U.S.A. and the Caribbean, we can see what the prevailing belief system must have been. African people were seen as little more than objects, and bought and sold like laptops and mobile phones. Our contribution to human history and civilization was denied.
Unfortunately, this is still happening. Look at the reactions to the fact that we have an African American President for the first time ever. Apparently, someone posted a death threat against the President on Twitter!
These prejudices and racial hatred are very powerful and very subtle. We see them in the media, the education system and all around us. They seep into our consciousness and we are all affected.
When I try to discuss this with my white friends, they often react and think I am accusing them of something, when I am talking about how they (and we) have been conditioned, not about their intentions.
People of African heritage have the same conditioning, the same prejudices about ourselves and each other. This is a huge area so I won't go into it here.
Racism is a system of power and privilege based on skin colour and it affects everyone. We need to acknowledge this in order to overcome it and bring about positive change. It's not just about personal prejudices (which we all have). It goes much further than this.
Only by discussing these issues intelligently and sensitively can we begin to erode and ultimately overcome them.
Well done for raising such an important question. This took a lot of courage on your part.
The idea is fine, but when a group or an individual wish to address and talk about the issue of race it is rarely to be complimentary or applaud immigration, for example.
Groups and individuals, usually the former, wish to raise the issue of race to strongly put forward their opinions, and as said earlier, they are likely to be opinions that are anti one race or another and for one stupid reason or another.
The BNP, British National Party, in the UK, as a prime example, is desperate to get all political parties to openly address the issue of race, and in your own question you used the term 'issue', and they want this so that they can pour bile on other, non-white, races, based upon the supreme idiot view that colour you makes you less intelligent or less worthy.
On the use of the 'issue', what issue can you possibly be speaking of, and as we are all equal in the eyes of God, where is there an 'issue'. Some people are naturally scared by the term 'issue', because it bears a frightening resemblance to the word 'final', as in 'final solution', and where racist use the term 'issue' in discussing race, they are talking about resolving some 'issue, just like the 'solution', where one evil group wants to get rid of another group on the basis of race and/or colour.
Because growing up we are told we don't discuss race, religion or politics at work. I have seen so many heated discussions turn into full blown arguments where I work when people discuss these issues. It comes down to the concept that "My opinions right and your's is wrong" then the arguments start.
This is a question that does have a clear answer. I can devise from your question that it does have an answer but we it is not a simple one and I expect one that goes back a long time.
Because we have different opinions about all things and nobody wants to let others over them.
I agree with Gregory Lewis-- the answer is constantly changing and I think we're making progress. Some people are just more uptight than others.
I think society and governmental PC culture have made us very careful of choosing the right words to express such questions, such that we feel uncomfortble articulating our questions. I find the best cure is to step back and think about our question. If it is not offensive, have confidence, go ahead and ask the question you are uncomfortable with. Doing this, I have generally got a good answer and often found the recipient of the question all keen to answer!
» Answer from Cameron Page Answer given 2 years 49 days ago.Because if you are talking about it you are thinking about it. Do you not have someting better to think about than race?
You can talk. If they other person is hostile, start in small ways, there is no limit except that in your own mind.
Unlearn what the TV and media tells you, undo what your parents told you, and your past - accept all life
forms as equally valid as your own. You are part of the universe, not separate from it. A smile, love, and
all other things know no race or color - only a limitation of one or more minds.
» Answer from Jacob Leane Answer given 2 years 37 days ago.This is quite a thought provoking question. Maybe it's because we had apartheid before. So when we talk about race, thoughts of this particular race was more superior than another race come to mind. When these thoughts spring up, we tend to be more sensitive. If we are not, then we may provoke a misunderstanding and riots may occur. This has happened before even as far away as Singapore. So if we want to talk about race, we can but we need to watch what we say.
Total Answers: 30, Total Page Views: 609.Yes, I most definitely cannot understand this one. I am a Kiwi (New Zealander) and I have no problem with people using that name in reference to me or in discussing fellow Kiwi's. Surely it is the tone of voice and wording of what is being said that is offensive, not the actual name or race that is used. We all have to come from somewhere and it is common practice to use 'names' in the sortened version when referring to people and race.
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