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by advracer on November 14th, 2008
It is learned, there are studies that show that when education rises, racist decreases.
by Dracool on November 14th, 2008
From South Pacific:
You've got to be taught
before it's too late
Before you are 6 or 7 or 8
To hate all the folks
that your relatives hate.
You've got to be carefully taught.
by miissd on November 14th, 2008
It is something you learn from those around you.
by Blackberry. on November 14th, 2008
You have to learn it. Parents teach it to their kids. Or someone living in an area where they are the minority has bad experiences with that one race and feels they have made up their mind about that whole race in particular.
by Ruh Roh on November 14th, 2008
Ive never seen a racist baby, toddler, or kindergartner.
by Wide Awake @ has closing date woo hoo on November 14th, 2008
"You've got to be carefully taught," as in the song about racism from "South Pacific."
All prejudice is learned, not innate.
by philosopher-saint on November 15th, 2008
All *learned* behaviour, of course! The alternative is patently absurd! Has an ignorant, hateful, racist *gene* recently been discovered/isolated?! Can they now "treat" it and erase a childhood filled with listening to incessant, ignorant, rancorous blather?!
;-)
by Arisztid on November 14th, 2008
I believe that there are personality traits that can predispose someone to racism. The tendency to be insecure can do it, the need to be part of something is another, and I am certain that there are more I am not thinking of right now (I am uncaffienated).
This, however, does not necessitate that the person becomes racist. If the person is willing to challenge their thoughts and challenge any racist teachings or negative experiences with members of [enter race here], they might not become racist.
I have also known people who were dyed and true racists who, later in life, DID challenge their beliefs and come to the conclusion that they are inaccurate. I have a LOT of respect for people who do that.
I do not believe that all racists have to have a set of personality traits such as I describe. I believe that that is just one factor.
Learning is the main factor in racism. The person has to have something to hate... this is not going to come from within out of wholecloth. Personally, I believe that most people learn racism from their family. Most... not all.
by xhepera on November 14th, 2008
Racism is a learned behavior. We are all innately suspicious of the "other." But true racism is a learned behavior. Check out the lyrics to "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" from the 1949 musical South Pacific sometime. The song explores this very subject. It was quite controversial at the time. ;)
by killdrphil - reasonable for a madman on November 28th, 2008
I think some people are born with personality traits that make racism more possible for them but, in general, it's learned.
by CMK10131980 on November 14th, 2008
its taught we arre all born with out prejudice or hate thise things are taught.
by LustxOverxLove on November 14th, 2008
I believe it is something you learn from others, although seeing a person that looks different from you and most everyone else you know can bring some actions that could be considered offending.
by the_englishman on June 22nd, 2009
Absolutely, racial discrimination - I don't like the word 'racist' as it is nowadays meaningless - is something learned. A baby has no concept of its ethnicity.
by Anonymous on November 14th, 2008
It is definetly a learned behavior through ones life experiences and upbring. Unfortuantely racism exsist, I just hope people we will be able to overcome such negative attitutes and beliefs.
by rossi_bear on November 14th, 2008
itis sad but it is something that you do learn from others.
by Ceiraaww on December 10th, 2009
I agree, it is impossible to be born racist. You have to learn it from the people you are raised around!
by Anonymous on November 19th, 2009
A scenerio: A caucasian travels to a section of Africa where the people only experienced their own tribe members, when suddenly a caucasian travels to their site. Naturally, they are surprised, shocked to see the difference in the skin color as well as curious. If it were vice-versa, the caucasians would be curious as well.As long as a person isn't taught about racsim, it'll never exist. Unfortunately, it does....it's taught to our children at a very early age. And, some people don't even realize that they themself are racist. They should look at their body language. ie. walking away from a brown skin person while waiting for a bus or prefer to sit next to a person the same color as you are when there is an empty seat next to the person of a different skin color than yours. People out to look at their body language! Wasawoo hates racism!
by cpl_of_freaks on November 7th, 2009
I emphatically believe that racism is a learned behavior, not at all born with certain genes.
by CaptainHarley adores his life penguin on November 1st, 2009
It's learned, because without racism there is only one race ... the human race.
by anywho is feeling pretty on November 1st, 2009
Learned by media, their community, culture, sometimes religion, and their peers and people that surround them. How can someone be born with hatred or racism?
by AnonymousGirl on November 1st, 2009
It's learned. There's no question in my mind about that.
by the guy behind the bushes on October 19th, 2009
its something you learn
by justincredible on October 19th, 2009
.somethiing you learn and something you chOOse...
not born with.
by TERRYTUKER on October 19th, 2009
assholes are born racism is taught
by KimKfromAbseconNJ on October 19th, 2009
Here's an example of a mom who taught her kids bigotry and hate!!
APRIL GAEDE..
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=539
by qwerty on October 17th, 2009
This is like saying someone is born Gay, or a natural born killer, or wife beater?
All behavior is learned, it may not seem so, because it is sometimes learned at a very young age, but it is learned
by MarkOlson on September 16th, 2009
It's learned, but we're hardwired to learn it--"it" being racism in its simplest form: categorization. Even as infants, we prefer people who look like our parents.
Hatred and bigotry, on the other hand, while certainly part of the human experience, must not be considered inherent to our biological existence--I believe it can be both unlearned and even avoided altogether if it isn't taught. That said, sometimes the teacher is experience (combined with a poorly chosen attitude, in most cases).
Ultimately, I'd say that being taught early on how to love one's neighbor (even the one that stole your Tonka truck) might go a long way if we peace-lovers were as vigilant and sure of ourselves as the hate-mongers.
by 08Busa on September 16th, 2009
I learned from experience.
by claudiasilence on August 14th, 2009
Racism is definitely something you learn. Small children don't understand race until they learn it from society. It's quite shocking, really.
by Spaniel on August 2nd, 2009
It is a learned behavior. An essential part of becoming a mature person is figuring out how to unlearn it.
by CoRoNa_ChiCK ILOVEMYH@TERS on August 2nd, 2009
You learn it, a child can not "hate" something or somebody if they do not know what it means to hate, a child will not dislike someone different then him/her unless he/she is taught to.
by ClaireVoyance on January 3rd, 2009
Hate is something we learn, not something we're born with
by Moarta on January 3rd, 2009
This is something that must be learned...
Let me place it this way...
It is not the dog that is the raciest, it is its owner.
by Reeshy whoo on November 28th, 2008
Neither it is something you come across and relish in.
It only happens because there is a law stating that racial comments will be dealt with.
by Neptune66 on November 28th, 2008
Something you learn.
by Bsweet. on November 27th, 2008
racism is something thats learned.
by Teresa on November 27th, 2008
Only a racist could think it's something you're born with.
by kirababe on November 27th, 2008
something you learn.
by CuddlyCarla on November 25th, 2008
It is certainly learned. Children are discriminatory naturally in some respects, i.e. they have individual differences and different views on what they consider to be odd, generally anything that isn't exactly like them. But racism is a strong word and that level of hate is perpetuated by adults who children try so desperately to mimic.
by stephanie on November 24th, 2008
usually learnt if your family or 'friends' are racist the chances are you will be to as a child children often copy there parents, for e.g if your parents smoke its most likley for you to smoke or take up smoking in the near future so i suppose the same thing occurs with what you beleive and how you think etc
by ALM4 on November 24th, 2008
it is tought by the parents and surroudings
by Anonomous on November 16th, 2008
I'm going to have to say you learn the behavior. My dad is a white supremacist leader and I was raised that white is right. When I turned 18, I went off and married a full blooded Indian and had a child with him. My dad was not very excited at first but he realized I am his daughter and that is his grandson so he opened his eyes and learned how to be accepting of my new family. Ten years later, I believe I helped my dad learn not to be so racist.
by Anonymous on November 16th, 2008
It's something you learn.
by CT on November 14th, 2008
Your not born with it...its a conditioning!!
by human on November 29th, 2009
obviously its mostly learned
although people seem to prefer white girls more perhaps
but honestly research shows that if media , religion and other things dont portray white girls always in great light, they will be preferred almost equal to black girls
honestly, white girls are prettier although blacks are pretty too
by Sokoot on December 10th, 2009
It's what you learn. Look at Eminem, he's white but he hates white folks!
by hump on November 29th, 2009
Halloallthere I willtellitso,getitornotthe disminirationisraisingaboutthesocialsettingwearelivingif youarewellofftherasismtakenotplace. Ughi have speaking.let the rum booving
by Pandiri on October 17th, 2009
Racism is an unwanted byproduct of deeply biological selectivity instincts for reproduction, family building and the social life in general. Education helps to improve one's selectivity strategies.
by Marc on December 10th, 2009
Race exist in every living being, say it a dog or any animal.
I am not able to recollect much of incident when one animal attacking another of its same kind just because it is different in color or race.
I think it is learned from the society.
by L. Taylor on December 10th, 2009
Something you learn. You learn it from your environment.
How is it like having to deal with racism? I have never dealt with it but grew up in a racist family,
I want to change my thoughts
by ❤Crith Angew Mindfweak❤ on October 14th, 2011
| 4 people like this
My GF's Parents Are Racist; What Should I Do?
by RZFI7 on August 5th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
What is worse...a blatant racist/bigot or one who has no idea what a racist/bigot he/she is? Does being clueless make it less awful?
by RosieGHM Jetpacker on July 3rd, 2011
| 4 people like this
Liberals: Do you realize that in third world contries that racisim is something that is expected and not feared?
by Master Of Kings on June 29th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
Wouldn't defining anyone by race be considered racism?
by Anonymous on July 8th, 2011
| 5 people like this
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Comments
I agree to a point. If you are born to a racist family. You tend to have little hope
by Anonymous on November 14th, 2008
All sorts of bigotry tends to decrease with education, in fact. +6
by Wide Awake @ has closing date woo hoo on November 14th, 2008
You contradict to yourself. If racism decreases, when education rises, then racism is rooted in instincts and being suppressed by education.
by Pandiri on October 17th, 2009