Final Thoughts
April 3, 2020, at 2:29 PM
Aronson mentions a few aspects of what race means to us in the modern day. He highlights the way that modern technology enables us to be more prejudiced or more open-minded than ever before in history. He concludes the book by saying that “the impulse to hatred is imprinted in us… but we are not helpless… we can choose” (Aronson 268-269). It is this element of choosing how we perceive race that I noticed, and that raised the following question in my mind:
Via Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
What is the value of the concept of race in modern society?
My response:
Race is a complicated topic in that it is at once tangible and intangible. Historically as well as in the present, it acts too often as a catalyst for hatred and violence. However, as Aronson points out, we humans are blessed with the ability to choose our actions and our beliefs. So, if we could (in a very ideal world) choose the role race played in society, what would it be? In my opinion, race has value as an aspect of culture, a way to appreciate diversity, and a warning about history, not as a means of division or an excuse for racism. Race is beneficial when it is a unifying and diversifying aspect of our society.
Culture and Community
Race has value because it acts as a cultural element that helps people find communities to which they belong. Race has undeniable cultural meaning, a strong example of which is food. Different racial groups have different traditions of cooking, which are even clearer when you break race into ethnicities. White people have French and Italian food, South Asians have Indian food, East Asians have Chinese and Thai food, and so on.
Food is such an unmistakable element of ethnic identity, and ethnicity is so tied up in the concept of race, that you can draw a line from race to cultural identity with little trouble. On a broad level, food is a part of the heritage that different races identify with, and that identity has value because it creates a sense of belonging for an individual.
Similarly, other aspects of cultural heritage are tied up in the concept of race. Traditions like art, music, language, lifestyle, religion, and values are usually passed down within racial groups. Continuing these traditions gives people the feeling that they belong to a community, and many find that valuable. Especially with the modern emphasis on self-identity, race as a cultural element can be a valuable means of defining yourself.
Reminder of History
Race has value because it serves as a reminder in the present day of the damage that the concept has caused throughout history. Aronson’s book is focused on this damage, which highlights the importance of this function of race in my mind. Society owes it to minorities to acknowledge the painful legacy of race, and it owes it to itself to not repeat the same mistakes again. In the same way that races have cultural heritage, this legacy is part of their heritage as well, and is often important to identity.
For example, race was the justification for Hitler’s persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust. Today’s Jews live with the knowledge that that injustice was perpetrated against their predecessors, making that history a part of their shared identity. If it’s important to people against whom injustices were committed that those injustices be remembered, they should be remembered.
In addition, past injustice has an important bearing on modern injustice. African-Americans, for example, are still affected by the legacy of hundreds of years of slavery in this country, beyond its impact on their culture. Systemic and everyday racism have undeniable roots in this part of American history. Since it’s unrealistic that we could eliminate all racism in our society, at least quickly, it’s important to understand the causes of that racism, and, thus, race has educational value.
Third, the concept of race as a historical tool has value in our society because it serves as a warning for the future. Aronson, after extensively studying the history of prejudice, believes that humans are inherently prejudiced. So, if we were to ignore the history of race, it would be all the easier to have the same history play out again, assuming that prejudice is the human default. If we can remember history and learn from it, society will be better off in the future.
Appreciation of Diversity
Race has value because it is a way for us to appreciate the diversity of our world. Even in the past, it served this function. Aronson describes a photo exhibit from 1955 called The Family of Man, which, as he puts it, “was the most beautiful and moving celebration of all human beings” (Aronson 230). It was a collection of photos of people from all over the world, displayed as equals. It cherished the diversity, and yet unity, of people on the planet.
In this form, race is almost a beautiful concept. Race becomes meaningful because it signifies that all different types of people have value. It becomes a reminder that different perspectives make the world a better and more interesting place. How boring would it be if we were all exactly alike? By assigning races to groups, people are given a vehicle by which to express their differences. Race has value because it expresses diversity.
Conclusion: Not a Means of Division
Lest I sound too naive in my evaluation of the merits of race, I need to state: race does not have value as a means of division for the purpose of ranking, and that is what it's most often used for. Aronson’s entire book was focused on what happens when race is used to divide people by their worth. This practice has resulted in countless genocides, wars, systemic discrimination, and everyday acts of violence. It is an unavoidable and unfortunate truth that these uses of race are interwoven with the more positive uses, and that truth calls into question whether the concept has value at all. If it does have value, however, I see that value as a cultural and educational one.
To reiterate, racist applications of race nearly cancel out the value I see in the concept. For our society to have a truly healthy relationship with race, racism would need to be minimized or eliminated, and I don’t believe that’s an easily achievable goal. I’m merely suggesting that the concept of race doesn't have to be all bad, and could even be a valuable way of understanding the implications of racism in our society, as well as the different cultures people have.
My response:
Race is a complicated topic in that it is at once tangible and intangible. Historically as well as in the present, it acts too often as a catalyst for hatred and violence. However, as Aronson points out, we humans are blessed with the ability to choose our actions and our beliefs. So, if we could (in a very ideal world) choose the role race played in society, what would it be? In my opinion, race has value as an aspect of culture, a way to appreciate diversity, and a warning about history, not as a means of division or an excuse for racism. Race is beneficial when it is a unifying and diversifying aspect of our society.
Culture and Community
Race has value because it acts as a cultural element that helps people find communities to which they belong. Race has undeniable cultural meaning, a strong example of which is food. Different racial groups have different traditions of cooking, which are even clearer when you break race into ethnicities. White people have French and Italian food, South Asians have Indian food, East Asians have Chinese and Thai food, and so on.
Food is such an unmistakable element of ethnic identity, and ethnicity is so tied up in the concept of race, that you can draw a line from race to cultural identity with little trouble. On a broad level, food is a part of the heritage that different races identify with, and that identity has value because it creates a sense of belonging for an individual.
Similarly, other aspects of cultural heritage are tied up in the concept of race. Traditions like art, music, language, lifestyle, religion, and values are usually passed down within racial groups. Continuing these traditions gives people the feeling that they belong to a community, and many find that valuable. Especially with the modern emphasis on self-identity, race as a cultural element can be a valuable means of defining yourself.
Reminder of History
Race has value because it serves as a reminder in the present day of the damage that the concept has caused throughout history. Aronson’s book is focused on this damage, which highlights the importance of this function of race in my mind. Society owes it to minorities to acknowledge the painful legacy of race, and it owes it to itself to not repeat the same mistakes again. In the same way that races have cultural heritage, this legacy is part of their heritage as well, and is often important to identity.
For example, race was the justification for Hitler’s persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust. Today’s Jews live with the knowledge that that injustice was perpetrated against their predecessors, making that history a part of their shared identity. If it’s important to people against whom injustices were committed that those injustices be remembered, they should be remembered.
In addition, past injustice has an important bearing on modern injustice. African-Americans, for example, are still affected by the legacy of hundreds of years of slavery in this country, beyond its impact on their culture. Systemic and everyday racism have undeniable roots in this part of American history. Since it’s unrealistic that we could eliminate all racism in our society, at least quickly, it’s important to understand the causes of that racism, and, thus, race has educational value.
Third, the concept of race as a historical tool has value in our society because it serves as a warning for the future. Aronson, after extensively studying the history of prejudice, believes that humans are inherently prejudiced. So, if we were to ignore the history of race, it would be all the easier to have the same history play out again, assuming that prejudice is the human default. If we can remember history and learn from it, society will be better off in the future.
Appreciation of Diversity
Race has value because it is a way for us to appreciate the diversity of our world. Even in the past, it served this function. Aronson describes a photo exhibit from 1955 called The Family of Man, which, as he puts it, “was the most beautiful and moving celebration of all human beings” (Aronson 230). It was a collection of photos of people from all over the world, displayed as equals. It cherished the diversity, and yet unity, of people on the planet.
In this form, race is almost a beautiful concept. Race becomes meaningful because it signifies that all different types of people have value. It becomes a reminder that different perspectives make the world a better and more interesting place. How boring would it be if we were all exactly alike? By assigning races to groups, people are given a vehicle by which to express their differences. Race has value because it expresses diversity.
Conclusion: Not a Means of Division
Lest I sound too naive in my evaluation of the merits of race, I need to state: race does not have value as a means of division for the purpose of ranking, and that is what it's most often used for. Aronson’s entire book was focused on what happens when race is used to divide people by their worth. This practice has resulted in countless genocides, wars, systemic discrimination, and everyday acts of violence. It is an unavoidable and unfortunate truth that these uses of race are interwoven with the more positive uses, and that truth calls into question whether the concept has value at all. If it does have value, however, I see that value as a cultural and educational one.
To reiterate, racist applications of race nearly cancel out the value I see in the concept. For our society to have a truly healthy relationship with race, racism would need to be minimized or eliminated, and I don’t believe that’s an easily achievable goal. I’m merely suggesting that the concept of race doesn't have to be all bad, and could even be a valuable way of understanding the implications of racism in our society, as well as the different cultures people have.
At the end of the day, it should really be left to the members of marginalized races to decide what, if anything, they want to use the concept of race for. But, acknowledging that I have no authority in such a conversation, these are my thoughts.
Works Cited
Readers, 2007.
Mossholder, Tim. Colorful Hands 1 of 3. Unsplash, 25 Sept. 2019, unsplash.com/
photos/zs-PAgqgenQ. Accessed 2 Apr. 2020.
Very thoughtful responses, Mia. Thank you for them.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Delete