What is blackness? What is whiteness? What is [any color]ness?
We know that any human being can adopt any habits, beliefs, abilities depending on their genes but to a huge degree, their environment. We know that each human being has unique experiences. This makes the idea of "groups" or "colors" or "races" of humans nothing more than a poor conceptual tool.
Look at my image basket. Am I black? Am I "negroid"? Is my blackness my color? What of people of my complexion who are not of African heritage? Is my blackness defined by my abilities, my interests, my language?
Here's a little "head fake" for the ignorant among us. These are questions that cannot be conclusively answered.
We are all too different within these foolish color and race groups to be considered part of these groups, for sure, in a serious way. If how you feel determines your answers to these questions, and you admit that different people in this world feel differently about things, then the following is clear: There is no such thing as race. The concept of race is the greatest misconception that exists in our world.
Quote: from HazelEyedAngel at 6:36 pm on July 31, 2008 Race does exist. Its sort of like a breed of dog. The breeds are of the same species, can mate, but they are still different. Show me a purebreed human of any race. Prove to me, unequivocally, that one you would consider "white" is not blood related in any way to a "black" person. At most, you can say that a person is more or less a color or race type, but can't you see then that it's something made up? Something used to stratify what cannot truly be separated? Hell, I could even let this apply to dogs. I just don't know that dogs are conscious of race in the first place, like too many humans are.
Race does exist. Its sort of like a breed of dog. The breeds are of the same species, can mate, but they are still different.
Show me a purebreed human of any race. Prove to me, unequivocally, that one you would consider "white" is not blood related in any way to a "black" person.
At most, you can say that a person is more or less a color or race type, but can't you see then that it's something made up? Something used to stratify what cannot truly be separated?
Hell, I could even let this apply to dogs. I just don't know that dogs are conscious of race in the first place, like too many humans are.
Speaking from a purely biological standpoint, all humans are related to one homo sapien that evolved in Africa long long ago. While we all may have come from one common ancestor, the spreading out over the continent formed barriers that isolated populations. These populations changed someone over time, creating a separate "breed" of humans. Just as I am sure all dogs can be traced back to one dog, but they were separated over time. This means that there is a genetic basis for the difference in skin color and features. If they can identify race from bones, something is making the bone structure different between what we have defined as the separate races.
As far as dogs noting differences, they don't know the differences in breed, but they also don't have a brain capable of complex thought. Our brains are designed to separate differences. We are capable of a lot more thinking than dogs are.