What are the causes of racism?

Question

What are the causes of racism?

Answer 1

Racism starts as a psychological short -cut. Our brains, in trying to make decisions based on limited information, tries to categorize information, people, things in efforts to make a more ordered world. Race/nationality/colour are visible traits, so at the vary basest level, we categorize.  As we gain more information, we adjust/disband such categories.  Young children in their innocence have not yet learned this mnemonic strategy and are unspoiled by adult prejudices, so it is a joy to see them play together without issues.

That being said, it is ignorance, prejudice, fear and outgroup bias in the form of hatred that develops a harmless categorization to racism.

Answer 2

Ignorance.

Answer 3

Fear and Ignorance.

In some cases, also, insecurity. Some people need to feel they are better than someone else...even if they are ultimately losers with no money or power.

Answer 4

self pride gone berserk!

Answer 5

To many blacks and Hispanics, lol, only joking, I think that for a lot of people I have spoken with they have negative stereotypes on certain segments of society and a lot of the time this is confirmed by the area in which they live. As an example England is less than 10% non white British people yet when you watch programs like crimewatch, looking for the most serious criminals in the country, it seems like on a regular basis over 50% of the people being looked from are non-white, non-British people. Foreign and different race people do not always do themselves any favours whilst living in Britain, America is slightly different as its roots are much more deeply rooted.

Answer 6

easy  can start by childhood  being told not to speak  to others who not like  your family is one way kind of like a brainwash .

Answer 7

When I was a boy I went to a school where 90% of the kids were black. We all got along, played, etc. When we hit middle school we learned about the civil rights movement and I was alienated for not being black. I think poor education can be a cause.

Answer 8

Adult stupidity. If you have ever watched a group of children playing you will notice they all get along really well. It is not until stupid adults start speaking about how this race is this and that race is that that children start thinking about the differences. My daughter is a bi-racial 7 year old and she was told she HAD to say she was black. This was said by and African-American child older than her. My daughter being smart for her age said "No I am (and stated her name)." My daughter has been brought up that she is a person not a color and to deny either side is to deny one of her parents. The other girl said "no you have to say you are black because your father is black." Now the girl speaking to my daughter had to hear that somewhere otherwise she would be thinking as my daughter does. People are not colors they are people and until adults start making racial statements the children just see each other as friends.

Answer 9

i agree with fear and ignorance, and sadly parents too !! like someone said kids aren't racist, how could they be, kids are pure unconditional luv !!! one root cause has to be empire building , you can't blame immigrants in britain for coming here if they're homeland was raped and pillaged. the brits were especially good at this, usually with scots doing the bloody end of things !!! we are all immigrants from africa in the beginning and skin colour is only indicative of how close you or yr ancestors stayed to the equator... jammy or what !!! scotland's an awfy grey place !!! if it wasn't for immigrants, britain wouldn't be half the place it is, we'd all be running in circles gaga due to inbreeding !!! multiculturalism is what makes this sad wee island worth living in, there's not much else apart from Glasgow Celtic F.C...hee hee x*x mwah x have a star hunny  top question x do me a favour could you post that question on the scottish football page, i'd much apreesh !! just wanna test the water and see what nutters are out there, then i know who to pull up or ignore !!! also to find out who's goovy !!! cheers hunny  mwah again, huggles too x

Answer 10

wtf?! fear? no no no. dont listen to that kid. he/she probably a racist himself. racism is just another way to express the natural human instinct of classifying others. none of that fear b.s.. personaly, i cant stand racists. most of my friends are black.

Answer 11

Fear of the unknown and plain snobbishness.

Answer 12

fear

Answer 13

fear of what they are not and what they might become.