Christian Quijas

History 101-60

Dr. Gibson

20 March 2021

RESPONSE 3

“Race: Illusion or Truth?”

Race is skin deep. Beneath our skin, everyone is flesh and bones. The only reason, we, as

people have come to see each other as different when it comes to race is because we have been

taught to associate different skin colors/different races with a predisposed personality. We have

learned to stereotype people based on how they look. Animals are not like this, a panda might not

see an important difference between another panda and a polar bear apart from the obvious

difference in color.

In the interactive presentation from pbs.org called “Is Race Real?” the audience is

allowed to immerse themselves in the quest for truth. Through different slides, the audience is

treated to facts about how race even came to be and why we view race as an important trait to

sizing people up and treating them differently. In fact, race does not go beyond a genetic basis.

For example, it says, “Not one characteristic, trait or gene distinguishes all members of one so-

called race from all members of another so-called race” (PBS). Race to me has always seemed

more of a competition about proving which race is superior and which race has the advantages as

well as disadvantages. I think that a true way of recognizing value within a group of people

should not consider their race but their persona, their character, their values, their choices and

and their actions.

 Even in ancient times, humans did not see race and skin color as a true, definitive way of

weighing someone’s value. It is a modern idea, for example, it states “Ancient societies did not

divide according to physical differences, but according to religion, status, class, even language”

(PBS). All of these, which, for the most part, I agree with. These are all, in a way, based on life

experience and culture. Somebody’s language can be a good way of separating a group of people

in order to send people to a group where they can understand one another and perhaps learn

together. Although, I would say there is no literal different trait we all posses that should mean

we get separated as people, where it be class, status, religion... race seems like it should be at the

bottom of the list for reasons to separate human beings.

I see it as a very thin line. A slippery slope, really. When we separate due to race, then

where do we draw the line? What race gets to be separated and what race doesn’t? After we

separate from race, what other physical traits do we separate people by? Height? Weight? Color

of eyes? Hairy? Not hairy? When you look at it in this way, the idea of separating people due to

skin color becomes quite goofy and totally idiotic, doesn’t it?