I've been thinking about Darwinism....?

Question

..and why the majority of the civilized world and the wealthiest nations are predominantly white. I myself am Mexican American, and if you are already saying to yourself I'm racist, please stop here. It seems apparent that the major different ethnic groups (white, oriental, arab/muslim, black, latino) developed their distinctive appearances due to the environment in which they were from. Perhaps the skin of black people are so dark because of the beating sun of Africa. The oriental's eyes are shaped the way they are because of the constant sunlight they were exposed to. Back to the original query-- Perhaps white people's skin is so light because they were the first type of human to figure out how to shelter themselves. This would then explain why the majority of intellectuals in the history of the human race are white. Now, this would go against many ideals on equality. So what is wrong with this idea? Where am I going wrong?

Answer 1

The evolution of skin color has been widely linked to synthesizing vitamin D in low-light environments.

Your postulation does not explain why (I would say If) there were a larger number of white intellectuals.

There is no link between intellect and skin color or eye shape, and if there was, it would've been well discussed by now by reputable scientists.

You're "going wrong" in your understanding of how skin color differences came to be and that they have nothing to do with intelligence. You're also "going wrong" in your understanding of the "majority of intellectuals."

You need to research sampling error, as well as evolution.

Answer 2

That's a very interesting theory. No I don't think you're racist you have a valid point. Maybe there are white people because the sun isn't quite as strong in white-dominant areas... there's also another theory out there (seven daughters of Eve?) that sort of coincides with yours.

Answer 3

Evolution or Darwinism?

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05654a.h...

scroll down to (3)

By the way, European caucasians are not 'white', color coding humans is very racist.

Answer 4

Great. It's the Ry-Guy again, our local ultra-vocal spin doctor that

believes that race does not exist.

Dark skin prevents sunlight from destroying folic acid and causing

skin cancer in high-sunlight environments. Light skin allows more

sunlight to synthesize vitamin D in low-sunlight environments.

It is actually the ultraviolet light of sunlight that has those effects,

not the visible-spectrum light.

The intelligence of a race is directly proportional to the necessity

of intelligent problem-solving in a particular environment. In

equatorial regions, the temperature is more constant and the

food is more plentiful. In more polar regions, the food is more

scarce and the temperature fluctuates more, such that

intelligence is more essential for survival.

Apparently the Ry-Guy believes that the intelligence-induced

superior technologies of the europeans (versus the native americans),

such as firearms, cannons, metal armor, and domesticated riding

animals, never existed.

Jdevans, I advise that you look up Richard Lynn's 2006 study

of the average IQ of the people of different countries, which is

based on objective IQ tests that are not culturally biased.

Africa didn't accomplish much during the european dark ages

either.

The 'arabic number system' is a misnomer, since it derives from

India. Ancient India, like ancient Greece, has prospered in large part

due to immigrants from the east-european steppes, prior to the

invasion of the east-european steppes by the middle-eastern

Cimmerians.

Answer 5

I'd laugh if this statement wasn't so sadly ignorant - and don't take that as an insult - it just means you don't know. There are plenty of intellectuals in every culture. You can study the REAL reasons of evolutionary change online.

Answer 6

I don't understand how being rich correlates with being smart.  Nor do I see the proof of white people being the more predominently smarter people.

Answer 7

Most of the white people originated in the Northern Hemisphere wherein temperature is colder while people coming from tropical areas are mostly brown to dark brown skin.  The scorching heat in the African continent specially in the desert and flat land areas might be the reason for them being dark skinned.

Answer 8

I think you have a very good insight into how races develop.  It is essentially their adaptation to environment.  Because Caucasian had to live in the cold, they probably had to wear fur making any clothing kind of worthless.  There is a theory that the light skin developed to allow vitamin D to form and absorb better in the dimmer light of the northern colder environments.  Mexicans are mostly a combination of Caucasian (Spanish) and Oriental (sinodont) the group to which the Aztec belong.   I think the various races from the Masai in Africa that are long tall and skinny to the Eskimos which are robust provide excellent evidence for evolution.

Answer 9

Check out "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond, either the book or the PBS series.

He looked at the question and comes up with some interesting and convincing answers.

Answer 10

There is strong evidence that people were using shelters long before humanity spread out from Africa, so Africans were the first people to use shelters from the environment. I think that answers your question.

Furthermore, simply having a shelter doesn't mean that the environment no longer affects you. It's still hot and sunny in Africa, and you still have to leave the rockshelter now and then. It's not like Europeans built shelters and just stopped their sunlight exposure completely. Even people today spend enough time outside to get a good sunburn now and then.

Finally, about your statement that the majority of intellectuals have been white. This is false. The majority of intellectuals in your history book might be white, but that's a different situation. Look at what Africa was like about the time Europe was going through the "Dark Ages." Oh wait, history textbooks don't talk too much about that, how odd. Today, we use the Arabic number system. Do people really still think the ancient Greeks were blue-eyed blondes with alabaster skin? European dominance of other nations in post-Columbian times is due to a variety of factors, none of which is that the white people were just smarter.

But enough of that. Your initial premise is factually incorrect. A quick sifting of archaeological information can tell you that.

You don't get to lead off a racist remark with "I'm not a racist" and then avoid the label. If you think a particular race of people is superior, you're a racist. That's racism. That's the definition of the word. I don't care what race you are. Your opinion that white people are superior in some way is a racist one. Deal with it.