[ExI] are we not just one race, the human race?

[Kevin Freels]

John Grigg wrote:
> Mongoloid, Caucasoid, Negroid, and Australoid...  Do we still need 
> these divisions?  Are we not ultimately just one race, the human race, 
> Homo Sapiens Sapiens?
I understand what you are saying. But the divisions exist. They are 
useful in the anthropology fields when trying to determine the various 
paths our ancestors took on the road to becoming us. A lot of focus is 
spent on trying to show just how alike we all are - which is true. Often 
you will find a "caucasoid" who shares more genes with a "Mongoloid" or 
"Negroid" than they share with other "caucasoids".

And yes, it's terrible that others spend a lot of time trying to find 
differences and using them to justify treating people differently. 

We are all unique and we all have similarities. But to pretend, as you 
suggest, that these differences don't exist at all is just as foolish as 
pretending that they matter. There are real differences in people - and 
those differences tell a lot about a person's genetic history.  But it 
also causes people to focus on things they can "see" and ignore the 
things they can't. This leads to stereotyping which I think is a 
hard-wired defense mechanism.

What really needs to happen is that people should be educated to 
understand that yes - people are different...and that's OK rather than 
teaching people that we're all alike.

>  
> Will it take humanity meeting & socializing with an intelligent alien 
> race for us to fully realize we ourselves are but one race? 
>  
>  
> John Grigg
>  
>  
>  
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