To wonder why racism exists?

[WindWithM]

Wondering what the motivation is for people to act in a racist manner or what they feel they gain from it.

Just experienced a certain situation where people were saying certain things and it made me think about why some people become this way or what the point of it is.

Do you actually want a spleen vent or a sensible conversation about this?

-isms and racism exists in every culture to a certain degree. There is a psychology behind it that we tend to partner a mirror image, therefore anything different that may dilute our genes has a deep seated fear (for want of a better word).

But if you're talking generally, some people are just arseholes. That’s the long and the short of it.

What's your AIBU?

Racism seems to stem primarily from fear or distrust of those that are not "us".
Some people need to feel superior to others and don't like losing perceived privileges to those that do not belong to their group/circle/society.
Then you get negative stereotypes. Some people tend to see the group and not the individuals. That's how people can be racist and have black/other friends.

@IAskTooManyQuestions what’s a spleen vent?

I want a sensible conversation. Just looked it up - a spleen vent = to express angry feelings?

Deep seated evolutionary tribalism. And not enough intelligence to override ancient survival instincts.

YABabitU to devote brain space to racists, though.

I don’t think it is out of fear. I have seen tiny 4 ft 11 Indian and black girls get racist abuse while out on the town in mini dresses etc. It’s simply because of power. Racists decide their skin colour or culture makes them better and then deliberately choose someone who might not be able to fight back to spout their racist crap to. As a fairly imposing Indian woman I don’t tend to get this, but my size zero sister gets it a lot.

The point about power is what I’ve considered as well @Teddybear45

Because some people are horrible wankers filled with hatred and fear that “foreigners” are stealing our jobs.

Having said that, we live in a very white and brown area and DD was small she used to yell “uncle X” at any random black guy.

BIL is black. I was utterly mortified. He thought it was hilarious. (Thankfully)

Dear of change, fear of difference, fear of the unknown.

They look and act differently to me, I have to assume they are wrong and I am right.

Racism in America towards the African Americans stems from the slave trade and the people orchestrating it telling the public "these people are not like you and me they can only communicate by clicking their tongues" things like that where rich white men in power in England created a divide of them and us to profit (the slave trade was really lucrative for the traders) this then continued through to recent history with apartheid and segregation all over the ex British empire, we are moving forward but there is a deep seated racism ingrained in to many people who keep passing those values down to their children. I've always said it takes a generation to change the world and we are more progressive than ever but that doesn't mean everyone doesn't subscribe to the stories passed through generations and that racism is non existent in the newest generation but it's far less common than it ever has been!

Everyone wants to ‘belong’ in some respect. Once you’ve got divisions made and people have a group they align with that’s the point they decide who they feel superior to, who they fear and who has what they want.

We’re pack animals basically.

Power, basically.