The Evolution of Race

It is devastating that so many people still dont know the true fact about the race and

its development. This misunderstanding of race and lack of knowledge leads to unfair

judgments and generalizations of the minority groups such as, African Americans, Latinos,

and Asians.

According to the film, The Power of an Illusion, researchers agree that race was a

recent invention and that it was basically a folk idea, not a result of logical research and

disclosure. As we saw in the film, people with the same skin color could have a greater

biological difference, so the whole idea that same skin color people share some kind of

biological difference is incorrect. Race is a cultural idea that developed by the society and

not by the nature itself.

From the historical point of view, I believe that race first started to develop when the

Europeans came over to America and discovered the Native Americans. In America, race

started by the decision of whether or not the people of darker skin were animals or humans,

or savages as they called them in the film. Europeans saw themselves as the civilized race

and everyone else who did not fit into their social norms were seen as uncivilized race,

which included Africans, Mexicans and Native Americans (Indians). The European

scientists justified oppression due to skin color by coming up with biological factors that

proved they were inferior to them. These falls scientific assumption lead to misconception

of race. Because of these falls assumptions that were made in favor for its own culture

(Europeans) are still affecting our view and perspective of skin color and racial thoughts.

It is human instinct to order things to make our existence more satisfactory;

something as basic as the shade of one's skin can indicate their position in a chain of

importance. One does not have to talk to someone to figure out their status if they can just

look at them and know according to their skin color, hypothetically speaking. Based on the
historical events (no matter if there were correct or falls) no matter who you are looking at

you will always make some sort of assumption or emphasize some sort of generalization to

that person. Lets put it this way; it is not a secret that being a white skin has its own

magnificent advantages in todays society.

The misconception of race is still affecting our lives today. Many still believe that

black skin people have a lower IQ compared to white skin, or that blacks have greater

athletic skills, or that Asians are greater at math and horrible drivers. Everything that I have

mentioned above is based on our generalization of other cultural groups and real events that

I personally have seen or heard about. However, people do forget that race (based on the

skin color) do not have any biological similarity, the shades of the skin depends primarily on

the region of ones origin. However, there is statistical evidence that white people have

higher income compared to black people and that on average there is more white skin

people who complete their college degrees. Those differences are not based on what we call

race those differences are based on the social inequality between different folk groups.

Those inequalities were shaped because of the early misconception of race.

How many times have we been watching the news when police officers execute black

people on the street without any specific reasons, or unfair judgment in the courtroom that a

white male or female would never receive? Those actions are based on racism and incorrect

thoughts about racism. Imagine a world with equality, mothers would not have to lose their

sons because of their skin color and the strong hate that developed in some people who

believe that their skin color is the only civilized and right. Perhaps every man and woman

would receive the same rights without experiencing racism because of their skin color or

because they look. Race is only a thought and not a reality of inadequacy.