Do we really need to fight racism?
Probably. But by asking this question, are we not accepting the existence of
the aforementioned social evil? When everything, each opinion, said around us
is ingrained in our minds, we unconsciously tend to incorporate those biases
into our attitude.
Everyone has values and beliefs that they
unquestioningly accept, and these morals govern their personalities. The
Illusory Truth Effect dictates that if you repeat things often enough, you tend
to believe they’re true. We see the same advertisements everyday, hear
politicians promise the same things each day, and see people repeat the same
opinion on social media daily. It seems too simplistic that repetition can be
persuasive, but that’s what psychological studies prove. 1
Growing up in the 21st century,
one would be told countless tales of racism in history, and explained how it
should remain a matter of the past and not the present. But that is exactly the
hamartia of this system- by being told to treat everyone equally, you’re
acknowledging the presence of a social hierarchy, affirming that people deserve
to be treated according to their ranking in society.
Consider the example of Amadou Diallo, a
23-year old immigrant from Guinea to the United States of America. In 1999,
four New York City policemen, while on patrol, saw a young ‘black’ man standing
on the stoop. When he fidgeted with his pockets, they thought he looked
suspicious and shot him with 49 bullets. While he was reaching for his ID, they
thought he was taking out a gun, killing an innocent man in the process. 2
There is a thin line between deliberate
discrimination and unconscious prejudice. Our implicit bias affects the way we
talk and interact with others in a very real, yet unconscious, way.
Hence by having various organizations and numerous
movements aimed at countering racism, we are actually telling people not to
behave in a certain way. But in doing so, the past social hierarchy is
reiterated.
Now arises the conundrum regarding how
racism can be countered. While there is no clear panacea to this issue, it is
the attitude of the people that needs to be changed. Yet, this solution is much
more complicated than it sounds. When you claim to be ‘non-racist,’ your mind
focuses on countering anything that is in the least bit xenophobic. However,
this results in something called ‘positive discrimination,’ a term that,
despite its oxymoronic combination, is in fact a reality.
The existence of reservations for SCs and
STs in government schools and jobs is a result of this phenomenon. It takes
form in your everyday life too, only you don’t realize it.
A man won’t crack controversial jokes in
front of a Muslim because of the conventional image formed of the mentioned
sector in the minds of society. Similarly, comments on a person’s physical
appearance won’t be passed simply due to the stereotypes revolving around them.
Positive discrimination could be cited as
a constructive impact of racism, yet, this still reminds people of our common
past, and the prevalence of a dominator and a subject.
While the chains of bondage don’t hang on
people’s hands anymore, there will always be invisible handcuffs limiting not
the scope, but the respect one gets, and hence, their view of themselves.
Sources:
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P0iP2Zm6a4
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