In the human species, race is only a result of geographical influences, do you agree?

Question

Our skin color, hair type, body shape, etc, is merely a result of the physical adaptations our ancestors had to "make" in order to live in changing environmental conditions. So we are basically the same, just with external differences, right? How come are we still talking about "race" in the XXI century?

Answer 1

No. There are definite physical differences in the races. We were placed here by groups sharing the same differences. Blacks in Africa, slant eyed peoples in Asia, whitish peoples in Europe, blond haired peoples in upper middle Europe, the desert tribes, big stout peoples in South Seas Islands, etc. And diversity sucks. If you come to America, leave the old ways behind you and become Americans.

Answer 2

I agree.

But I believe that race has a lot to do with your personality too.

When you are born into a certain family, the traditions of past family members come from that certain geographical area. The way you are raised has a lot to do with past customs and culture that involved people from a certain part of the world.

But the way that people look has nothing to do with that, so you are right.

Answer 3

Very fundamental thought of human mind is to see differences so even if race is removed it will be something else separating people. This  thought of creating separation we got from our ancestor i.e animals because they form groups to survive themselves . Unless human kills the animal in him separation will exists.

Answer 4

My mom told me to take a shower but I didnt so I didnt take shower for a week. My dad yelled at me when he found out.

Answer 5

Agreed.  The racial differences can reasonably be supposed to have arisen from differential evolution of isolated populations over the last few tens of thousands of years.  There is an excellent article in the current Newsweek about this.

Answer 6

because some are mexican some are chinese some are african american. THey just use that term of race to help them understand what background they come from that's all.

Answer 7

I speak of race, because I am proud of my race.  I would not want to live in a world where everyone is the same.  We are all humans but I still think of myself as a woman.  And I like it that way.  I am Irish and I love it that way.  smile

Answer 8

You are correct in general, though there's a good bit more to it. If you are interested, the following is a link to an article by a physical anthropologist named Nina Jablonski who has done a ton of research on the evolution of human skin. If the article is too technical, check out the book that she recently wrote called "Skin: a natural history." It was written for a popular audience and doesn't use alot of overly technical language.

Answer 9

I spoke about this with a class in school the other day. They think race is identity.

There is a vast difference between a Chinese culture to a Westerm one and also alot of differences in appearance. I'm intrigued by race as I am very mixed race. Guyanese, chinese, indian and british. I think you kind of answered you question, the external differences along different languages and cultures make 'race' an ever existing term.

Answer 10

I agree completely! Race is totally a made-up p.o.s.

Answer 11

then how come people of many races live in the same geographical places? like America? How come we all don't start turning into native Americans??

Answer 12

Because the realization that race as we know it really doesn't exist, in a true biological sense, or is at the very least merely a superficial and immaterial difference in physical appearance, is a rather recent notion which does not sit well with a lot of folks who seem to need to cling onto their racial identity for one unfathomable reason or another.

Answer 13

Environmental differences can go much deeper than the external. They can effect things such as behavior, for one. I know you have been imbued with an ideological social science position, but the truth can be very different from social science ideology. Variance in animal species and their various geographic groups is well supported. Thing with humans, though, is that we immigrate/emigrate from group to group so much. You are correct about race, as it is a word that has no scientific meaning, as we are all one species.

Answer 14

Yes.  I totally agree.