If you read my definitions I bring up, you should see the answer to your question.

My problem is that I don’t see it. I get what you mean, or what you are trying to say, but pride is a horrible term to use as it implies an act, an accomplishment, indeed a reason for one to be proud. Addressing the statements following that, not once have I said you were idiotic, intellectually inferior, or anything else. Pride based on happenstance is a nonsensical position, but even if you were to believe exactly that (in its traditional definition) it doesn’t make you a moron.

I’m not sure if my last post was difficult to follow, but I’ll try to be thorough in my explanations this time, and go over some of what has been said. I addressed language in my last post based around this comment:

It means everyone can talk to everyone and this will only speed up the exchange of ideas. However, this doesn’t mean I think the French language should be forgotten. I don’t think people in France should stop learning how to speak it!

From there, I essentially posited that “remembering” a language isn’t very important since it is a tool, and making the tool better should be the ultimate goal. I’m sure hundreds if not thousands of dialects have come and gone over the course of human history, and we neither gain nor lose anything if we do or do not have a particular dialect documented. I certainly can’t think of anything significant, other than documenting how some languages have influenced others. For example, French heavily influenced the English language, but what relevance does that have to the future development of either? I agree with what you’re saying in regards to the evolution vs creationism argument and I would never throw away any information, including the bible. However, if a language falls out of common usage there is either no further desire or need for it. The language doesn’t stop existing, and whatever impact on society that it may have had doesn’t go away, but when you were referencing to it in regards to preservation it did imply some further action to ensure its preservation. It’s hard to actively preserve something that is constantly changing, and even Websters only carries definitions to what it recognizes as words. However, I don’t think individual methods of communication are as important to the “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it” axiom as events which have been carried out, or people who have existed. It doesn’t matter what language they are conveyed in as long as those ideas and events are available in the future.

While I’m thinking of it, and since it partially ties into the language discussion, I’ll bring this up as well:

If everything is the same then people become complacent.

This is a really broad statement but, as Db0, I can’t identify with this. Most people in society tend to express their own individuality in various ways, trying to define and distill their uniqueness. Few people take this to extremes, but what you might see as a lack of individuality or complacency I would view as practicality. There are some aspects of fashion, design, architecture, etc, that just work, and work well. Blue jeans would be a simple example. Rugged and durable and the epitome of the blue-collar working man, they became popular – and a fashion statement – because of how practical they were. A lot of people have adopted this same fashion sense because it makes sense. However, not everyone has made that choice. There are vast possibilities when it comes to fashion and there will always be people who challenge the norm, but just because one aspect of fashion may be common doesn’t mean people who choose that are complacent.

Now, if you were trying to tie that into the globalization, melting-pot, one-pigment-for-all-races concept, I think you’ll need to explain that further, as I really don’t understand how sharing the same skin colour globally could bring on complacency. That omni-colour concept won’t happen due to the sheer scope of inter-continental fucking there would need to be to manage it, but anyways, this general concept is why I initially noted that cultural differences aren’t limited to skin tone.

To start with, I think there will always be racial stereotypes, and stereotypes in general, because it simplifies communication, and in its own way serves as a tool (if a mildly discriminatory one on occasion). If you start a story by saying that someone is black, or native, or chinese, people conjour up all the stereotypes and personal experiences with that group of people that they can recall (as you noted, subconsciously) and can assist in the comprehension or contextual understanding of the story being told. However, such stereotyping can just as easily be used for New Yorkers, or Californians, or any other collective group of people. ISoS, do you think there would be drastically fewer cultural hurdles if the people you were training emigrated from Slovakia, or Russia? They are as “white” as you, but still have vastly different genealogical and historical backgrounds. You wouldn’t be able to associate their skin colour to their culture, but you would still know that they have, and do, experience life in a vastly different way than you, while sharing your skin colour. For someone of asian descent born in North America, they may experience life exactly as you have, and you may not have any cultural deviation from them whatsoever. So are you proud (using your unconventional definition) to be white, or are you proud to be a Smith, or an Anderson? Or are you proud to be an American, or a Canadian? Basically, I’m not sure that holding any positive view of your skin colour truly means anything given its superficial and regional nature, and from what you’ve been saying there seems to be an underlying theme that goes beyond skin tone that you haven’t really elaborated on as of yet.

I will cherish the fact that geneaologically my family is white and I will continue with that code of conduct throughout my life.

This may have been a “slip of the tongue” as it were, but what exactly is a white code of conduct? I’m sorry to be so persistent, but I just have a very difficult time coming to terms with seeing any skin colour as “better” or “worse”, or something worth cherishing. Even only being attracted to white women seems strange to me. Most people find symmetry as the common feature behind beauty. I’m not trying to be a douche or anything, but are you not attracted to white women if they have a heavy tan? Are there particular facial features or physical qualities distinctive to white women that contribute to their attractiveness? Just curious.

Of course people are proud (in its traditional definition) of all sorts of irrational facts or accidents, but that doesn’t mean it’s justified. In your Ivy League example, the applicant can easily be proud of their intelligence, and the knowledge that they’ve been accepted by the school. If they can’t afford to go to the school that is indeed a ‘cruel twist of fate’ if you will, but it doesn’t diminish the work and study that was required to be accepted in the first place and they can justly be proud of that accomplishment. They aren’t inherently proud of GOING to that school, but the fact that they were ACCEPTED to that school, whether they go or not. Conversely, being proud of going to an Ivy league school when the only reason you’re there is because your parents bought your way into the institution is not something to be proud of. Will going to an Ivy league school prove to be beneficial in finding employment in the future? Yes. Might you receive a higher level of education relative to a less prestigious school? Perhaps. But if your parent’s wealth/prestige ensured your acceptance then your being accepted is an empty, unimpressive, and worthless event, not worth noting and nothing to be proud of.

For the other example, if taller people average higher salaries that is fine, but you can’t then be proud that you are tall. People may not be aware of that correlation, but that doesn’t make the truth behind it any less so. But ignoring the fact that in your scenario they are unknowingly affirming the consequent (and these types of fallacies are all too common), someone may indeed be fortunate for that height advantage, especially if it translates to a marginally greater salary than those who are shorter than you. But if your specific height is the only reason you are being paid more than those who are vertically challenged by comparison, it is not something to be proud of. He’s lucky, and that’s all. As a side note, I’d say why this variation exists is because a person’s height can be physically imposing to others, and in the business world any feature or attribute which imparts control or dominance over someone else could imply that they’re less likely to be pushed around willingly. So not only might others be more willing to accept their orders from a management position, they might seem more demanding in regards to their salary. It has also been suggested that this is one of the reasons behind the male/female salary gap – women are less imposing than men, physically or otherwise. The simple psychological nuances in business are astounding at times.

I don’t agree with American pride any more than I do white, black, hispanic, or any other pride, as being white (or American) isn’t a particularly defining feature, and using yours or the traditional definition the statement comes out perplexing and somewhat ill-conceived. I would say that being happy or appreciative of your forefathers accomplishments is fine, and feeling fortunate for what you have, what you know, and who you are is also fine, but “having or showing self-respect or self-esteem” because you’re white still comes off as a little wacky.

And yes Db0, that’s exactly what I mean by pride and proud in terms of race and nationality. I’m not ashamed of who I am, nor do I think other people shoudl be ashamed of such things, and on a historical basis I’m quite pleased with what my forefathers have accomplished in life giving me the world I have to live in today. Granted it’s nothing utopian, but I feel fortunate that my family has cared enough to make the best possible surrounding for me to grow in. On a national level I like what my country has tried to do in the past, granted there are a great many things I disagree with what goes on now, but I don’t think we should forget the deeds that are done (good or bad). I also follow the proverb “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” I really take that to heart and that’s why we should not forget the past.

I think I’m using the word “preserve” too much like an archivist. Sorry… I read a lot of books by archaelogists and read about archival documents a lot. I do mean preserve as in not forgotten. I think a lot of times, at least in the past, as society has rapidly progressed things have been overlooked and forgotten. I think my point for needing all the connected dots has really been solidified during the “evolution vs. creationism” argument in America. This has now developed into “evolution vs. intelligent design” and in this argument what they’re saying is that science doesn’t have ALL the answers. So because we think species ‘a’ evolved into species ‘c’ and have no evidence (yet) of species ‘b’, then evolution must not be true. Therefore it is proof of God at work. This is a foolish argument. So, if we preserve the knowledge we have now and build on it, if anyone ever wanted to look back and see how something evolved in a society they can find out. I think this historical non-forgetting will save a lot of people trouble in the future. Again, that’s my opinion, and that is why I have it.

Onto Globalization. Ok, the reason I think this is a strength is because I’m directly involved with globalization on a corporate level. My company heavily outsources to India. I’ve had to train people FROM India when they came to this country. An opportunity most Indians do not get. We had to have a bunch of cultural training classes about what it is like to deal with them on a business level. For our business unit we had to learn how to strategize around dealing with their culture. Without getting into a lot of detail, we basically had to watch how we say things, work on personal relationships a lot more… etc. That’s what is important to them, so as my culture interracted with theirs we took in and learned about them and likewise exchanged knowledge. Their skin color and difference in general made me aware of that every day. You may not think about it consciously all the time, but subconciously it is ALWAYS there. Neurologically speaking there is no escape from that split second judgment concept. Maybe someday race WILL be unimportant (I will concede this point, it won’t happen over night), but for the here and now, we need to get beyond the skin color and work together regardless. We need to evolve beyond the concept of skin color WITH it still being visible, at least that’s what I think. So right now, I think it’s important and it will only make humanity stronger and more understanding of each other. It’s a similar concept that we have in arguing with the Christians. If they would stop being so damned closed minded about the Bible maybe we’d be able to have a civil conversation on the topic without people getting offended. However, this typically isn’t the case, at least that I have found (especially on the internet!). So if we could all embrace and work together no matter what culture or race you are from, this will make us stronger and finally progressing beyond prejudiced concepts. Though, I must admit, that part of me does want to preserve the racial differences for the long term, maybe this is a biological response of some kind? I don’t know, it is just there and I feel it a duty, at the moment, to uphold that. Though this is my own personal belief, it is not something everyone has to practice, naturally. If my white friend wants to marry someone from China, they are more than welcome. It’s just not my thing.

having or showing self-respect or self-esteem

I will admit that I haven’t heard this definition of pride before and from my experience it’s not the most common use of the word. Nevertheless, you are correct that with this meaning your statement come out a lot closer to mine. Although your entry for “Pride” is still controversial within your context.

In any case. So, just to clarify: When you say that you are Proud of your “race” and nationality you pretty much mean that you are not ashamed of your “Race” and nationality. Right? In that case, then I have nothing more to argue on the this point other than to point that your choice of words was the cause of this confusion

As for the culture argument you two are presenting I think you completely misunderstand my meaning. By preservation, I mean NOT forgetting…

I will generally agree with this whole paragraph as I too am of the opinion that History is much more important than what most people believe. As the saying goes, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. However, I do believe that using the term “preservation” is/was misleading. We do not preserve our history but rather remember and learn from it.

If everything is the same then people become complacent.

This is an assertion that I do not embrace. Can you explain? When true globalization comes around, the same opportunities (If the sociopolitical system at the time is Capitalism/Democracry as now) will exist. Having similar skins colour will not change anything.

It’s no secret that people are naturally adverse to change, but if you have different people from different parts of the world working together despite their differences, I think that makes for a stronger humanity than one that is all the same.

All that matters is that people work together. I don’t see how Humanity as a whole will be stronger or weaker based on how many different traditions are practiced. Maybe more interesting but not stronger.

Moving on to your later post…

So he is proud of the school he attends yet it solely hinders on the financial backing of his parents accomplishments.

I will say that it should not be proud of the school it attends. And by proud I am using the normally understood definition. If you are using the definition of “not ashamed” then OK, I agree it should not be ashamed of the school choice either.

In your “Tall Guy” example, the person should certainly feel proud of his accomplishments as the difference in wages is minuscule and difficult to prove. I see no harm in feeling proud in this accomplishment, even if the possibility that the end result is a bit skewed exists to a degree.

I believe I definitively outlined why I think race preservation is a strength,

Unfortunately, I am still not convinced. Yes, remembering our History and that of the various races is a strength but preserving the race is not.

Generally I feel the greatest problem is the definition of words that you are using. It’s like I’m talking about “Day” as the period with Sunlight available and you’re speaking about the 24 hour period called “a day”. It’s just confusing.

Yet I submit the theory that people are frequently proud of things that are a result of things that are beyond their control. For example, take the wealthy kid who goes to an ivy league college simply because his family has the ability to pay for it. The fact he managed to get in on his credentials in this case is ultimately irrelevant because his ability to go depended entirely on his family’s ability to pay for the college. If they couldn’t pay for it and he got in, it would be a moot point. So he is proud of the school he attends yet it solely hinders on the financial backing of his parents accomplishments. Secondly, if you look at studies Tall people tend to make a higher salary than shorter people. These people might be proud of their salary or their pay increase and erroneously posit that their hard work is what got them that pay check, when all that happened was they just happen to be an inch taller than the competition. The data that correlates this concept is striking and too much to be mere coincidence.

As for historical preservation, I completely disagree with you and I think you’re view on the subject will hinder humanity far more by the blatant disregard for history. If you don’t see the point in preserving historical records of humanity then be ignorant of who you are and where you come from. That’s fine, that’s your choice, but you shouldn’t force that opinion on me or others who want to preserve such things. At that juncture I don’t see why you’re even participating in this argument about historical preservation of our species, since it apparently matters so little to you, unless you’re really trying to sway me to your method of thinking it doesn’t really matter. Which makes no sense to me.

I believe I definitively outlined why I think race preservation is a strength, so I see no point in answering that question a second time, I honestly can’t make it any simpler in explanation. But, no offense, what you wrote doesn’t feel like you read what I have said. You’re arguing a lot of the same things I’ve already said. I never said humanity should stop dropping or adding languages. In nowhere do I make that statement. And, frankly, I have no idea what you’re section on Christianity has anything to do with this discussion on race and culture preservation. Yet you seem to be against the Christian’s bringing our society into a regression of knowledge, but in the end it doesn’t matter to you? Again, I ask what point you’re trying to make with this argument because it seems like you have no real need to discuss this topic since you don’t care about it? That’s how I’m perceiving your words at least.

I also felt he was making inherent contradictions within his on rebuttle to me, in an unkind manner. So I retorted in kind. His being happy about being born in North America doesn’t coexist with his argument that being happy you are white makes no sense.

I gave a very specific reason why I am happy to live in North America (not proud) which is because of the comparably poor conditions in other parts of the world. Ultimately where I live isn’t of consequence, except that I enjoy the standard of living that I currently have and would like to have a similar level (or better) wherever I may be. The only reason I said born initially and not live is because if I was born in a third world country, the chances of me emigrating successfully would be slim. Where you’re born doesn’t matter. Anything that can be attributed to accident of birth does not matter, and is nothing to be proud of and THAT is what Db0 and I have been saying the entire time. Dealing with semantics as to its exact definition is pointless as for you to be proud about something there has to be a reason why you are proud. Thus, being proud because you are white is beyond nonsensical as it was completely out of your control. If your family history or heritage means something to you then fine, preserve it. Become a historian or genealogist, as those are the only people who are going to contribute to longterm preservation of anything of cultural, racial or political significance.

Personally, I don’t see a problem with humanity dropping, adding or changing languages. If enough people really enjoy or prefer a language then it will persevere, but it will no longer be recognizable as that language given enough time. Language is just a medium in constant change which limits the quality of our thoughts and discourse, and the higher the quality (and equality) of our language the higher the quality of our thoughts. Our culture isn’t much different, and if a meme is powerful enough it will see the next century, and the next. The historians of today only know what they do of previous cultures based on archaeological evidence, whatever documentation still exists, and then wild speculation.

Frankly, to bring this full circle (and try not to deviate too far from the discussion), that is the reason Christianity is as powerful as it is today. Barring events such as the Theodosian decrees, enough people took interest in it and were captivated by it, propagating its contents to as many people as possible – first and foremost their offspring – that it has lasted as long and as successfully as it has. Society is changing however. More and more people are becoming skeptical and critical in their thinking, and most people in the west hold onto whatever belief system that they do simply because they’ve been told it is the norm, or as part of a lazy pascal’s wager, and not a serious commitment. It’s hard to see it because the neo-cons, hardcore christians, etc, are screaming more and more in rebuttal, as if saying the same thing they have been for hundreds of years will be more effective if said louder. We’re almost at a tipping point. It’s possible that the evangelicals will get their way, and pull society back in a sudden fit of regression, but that seems hard to believe. Then again it’s also hard to believe that blacks are still mostly segregated from whites in the south, so I suppose anything could happen. But in the end that’s my point – what’s worth remembering will be remembered, and the only way it will be worth remembering is if it was important enough to remember and if people are willing to remember it, racial bigotry, grudges, et al. Sure a dictator or two might go on a book-burning crusade, but in today’s information age the most trivial crap will be remembered LOOOOOONG into the future. If anything that’s what you should be concerned with; making sure whatever you’d like to see preserved stands out above all the garbage that is sure to litter the digital streets for generations to come.

But now I have a question: where did you pull “preservation” from “pride”? This ultimately started from this…

Your race is part of you, you can’t change it, so be proud of it no matter where you are.

…which as noted is a ridiculous statement because it’s accidental and inconsequential. Your persona should be of you as a part of humanity, not as a part of any one race. I linked culture before because that is a somewhat legitimate, contributing characteristic to a person’s persona than is their skin tone, and if melanin plays any positive or negative role as part of your self-esteem/worth then you might need counseling. But preservation is a weird place to take that. We’re all genetically coded to spread and thereby preserve our genes, and beyond that, due to environmental aspects I mentioned already there will always be white, brown, black, yellow, gray, orange, and whatever colour people as long as there are any benefits to them in a given climate, which there are. So considering this, talk of preserving ones past almost seems diversionary. If it’s just something you wanted to bring up in addition to the pride issue, then whatever, but there’s no practical benefit to linking your skin color to historical or cultural preservation.

As for the culture argument you two are presenting I think you completely misunderstand my meaning. By preservation, I mean NOT forgetting. As in we should never forget the ancient Egyptians. Do I think people should go out and practice living the same way as ancient egyptians, having pharoah’s building huge pyramids for tombs? Not really, seems kind of unrealistic actually. But does that mean we should forget it? Certainly not, that would be a horrible thing to do. Likewise, should we forget the culture that Nazism essentially created? Absolutely not, if we forget it we run the risk of it happening again! Forgetting a culture or knowledge that was found anywhere for anything is the worst thing I can think of happening in our world. Such was the tragedy that befell the Library of Alexandria. However, luckily some was preserved, like Euclid’s “Thirteen Elements” for example. I hope this clarifies what I mean by “preservation”. I mean, not forgetting it, not forgetting where you came from and what your forefathers learned. If we forget the past then how can we possibly progress into a future? Forgetting the past is like forgetting the building blocks of our society and all the knowledge we’ve accumulated. I logically cannot advocate this way of thinking. I think this is somewhat in line with Minion4Hires point. As another example, English is quickly becoming the trade language of the world and I think this commonality for communication is a great advancement for our species (this would be the case if it was Russian, the language itself means nothing, just that we can talk to each other). It means everyone can talk to everyone and this will only speed up the exchange of ideas. However, this doesn’t mean I think the French language should be forgotten. I don’t think people in France should stop learning how to speak it! I don’t think the availability to the globe in learning how to speak it should be taken away. That’s what I mean by preservation. The knowledge of it should not be restricted. If someone wants to learn French but lives in Taiwan, let them.

Yes Db0, nationalists use race preservation to stop Globalization, but I am not a nationalist. In order to really get at the heart of the point of globalization you need to preserve the difference. If everything is the same then people become complacent. I can’t think of any better motivator to think differently than have something staring you in the face. It forces people to acknowledge change. It’s no secret that people are naturally adverse to change, but if you have different people from different parts of the world working together despite their differences, I think that makes for a stronger humanity than one that is all the same. I don’t think the only purpose of skin color has been to separate humans from each other, aside from the better living regionally. I think people’s way of thinking about skin color needs to change and advance to acceptance so then we can truly progress as a peoples. The racist nationals are surely not helping the situation any, because they are not for unified progress, they are for singular advancement, everyone else be damned. This will get you nowhere globally and a unified species will leave them behind quite quickly, but should we forget them? Certainly not.

I hope that actually answers both of your comments. I’m not saying cultures shouldn’t influence each other either Minion4hire, just to clarify that point. I realize I didn’t develop my answers to Db0 specifically, because I thought if he read my statements with the definitions I provided above he would see them in a different light and maybe have different questions. If this is the case, I’d be happy to bring the discussion further! See, now this is what I would call a great intellectual conversation with you two.

2. having, proceeding from, or showing a high opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, or superiority.

And when I use the word “pride” you read it as:

1. a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.

However, I have to point out when I use the word “pride” I refer to the idiom:

14. pride and joy, someone or something cherished, valued, or enjoyed above all others

And when I use the word “proud” I refer to this definition:

3. having or showing self-respect or self-esteem

I know the entry 3 for “proud” doesn’t skirt db0′s questions, but I hope that really clears up what I’m trying to say. If you read the words in terms of the former definitions I referenced, I can surely see that it could be read as overly racist, but my comments contradict those concepts. I’m going to answer you each individually after this though, and I must thank Minion4hire for actually reponding civily this time. Now we may have a good discussion based on philosophical perspectives.

However, my point is that it doesn’t happen overnight. I thought that was just obvious, because the last time I checked if someone from India moves to Norway they don’t magically become white

No, but they’re acclimatized to a different part of the world. And depending on where they move that can be a bad thing. Obviously someone with fair skin near the equator will be dealing with sunburns and higher risk of skin cancer, while someone with darker skin nearer the poles will contend with vitamin D deficiencies, especially during the winter. But the color of a person’s skin has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING else, and as Db0 noted only serves to divide people when some people see it as a matter of pride.

People proud of their skin color tend to be more proud of their traditions/culture than a specific pigment, but most do end up being quite racist in one form or another, whether they be chinese, african-american, or ukrainian. The question is WHY are they proud of their traditions, and what benefit is there in trying to “save” them? As I noted originally, cultural differences – like skin pigmentation – are regional, and always will be. But regions aren’t based on political boundaries. China and Japan have just as many internal cultural differences than they do between each other, and if certain customs are popular within one region they will propagate and survive into future generations. Desiring one tradition over another due to personal preference is fine, but trying to “save” cultural facets will always be a losing battle because culture changes without end.

Both before and after WWII the west heavily influenced the culture of Japan, and the people there latched onto certain ideals while discarding others, and regardless of whether older members of that society preferred an older or simpler way of doing things that didn’t prevent the culture from changing. That change didn’t prevent those people from practicing what they preferred, but they can’t stop their culture from changing, because it will never be “complete”. France has tried to regulate the French language very strictly, leading people either to follow either a very strained and outdated vernacular or have to rely on what is considered slang in order to have a conversation involving modern objects and concepts. What they’re missing is that people will say what they want and speak in whichever way pleases them most, and if enough people follow suit in becomes the norm. In other words, CULTURE MEANS NOTHING!!!!!! At best it’s a snapshot in time, indicating how certain people did certain things during a certain time, and all you should be concerned with is doing what you enjoy; culture will sort itself out.

I’m short on time, so I’ll cover one other point for the moment – I did not say I was proud to live in North America, I said I was happy that I do. I’m sure a lot of people living in Darfur would prefer to be somewhere else right now (I’m sure that ideally they would want to the wars to stop, but since that doesn’t appear likely…) and I am glad, indeed lucky, to have been born here than there. However that is only due to current conditions. Who knows, the US government could completely tank its economy and drive North Americans to be deemed impoverished citizens in 20 or 30 years time. But for right now, I’m happy to live here.

I also enjoy living in the northern part of the country and wouldn’t enjoy living at the equator. Does this also make me a racist?

While this does not make you a racist, it’s a non-sequitur to being proud of living in the northen part of the country.

You’ve clearly missed my point that you should be proud of who you are, no matter who you are.

That is correct. You should be proud of who your are, but only for the part of yourself that are in your immediate control. The rest are irrelevant.
You mention various things you should be proud of, like location of birth, skin colour and personal preferences but you haven’t explained why these things deserve a measure of pride. Is it because through pride you will be more motivated to preserve them and thus only mate with your own race and/or nationality?

What I want you to do, if you’d like, is explain to me the reasoning why being proud makes sense. Why does preserving a specific human skin pigmentation makes sense?

I will even take this further and ask you to provide a reasoning on why nations should seek to preserve a specific tradition or culture and what is the benefit. Why does this need any more consideration than just keep doing what you like? For example, if you like the tradition of Beltane, no-one is stopping you from practicing it and given enough people who do so, this tradition will be preserved. Why, however, should other people who do not see anything positive about it, seek to preserve it?

This is the kind of logic that nationalists use to oppose things like globalization and exchange of ideas. You seem to be convinced that cultures “should seek to preserve their unique traits” with much certainty. Why?

At this point, I have to confess I’m curious despite my language use. Why wouldn’t you want to preserve such things as culture and race. They’re unique in this world’s development. It’s what makes living here kind of special.

Were you to ask me this question, I would answer you as such:

I do not care to preserve such things as culture and race. Sure, they are nice to have but ultimately inconsequential. If I was to choose between preserving culture and skin pigmentation on one hand and peace and prosperity for all humans on the other, then I would choose the later. Sure, this is the kind of choice that might not be necessary since these things might just as well coexist but it is an example of where your priorities should lie.

Furthermore, I will not prevent anyone from practicing whatever quaint little tradition they want (Hell, I’m a fan of quite a few of them) but I will fervently oppose the irrational desire to preserve things like skin pigmentations who’s only purpose in history has been to separate humans. This desire only leads to absurd examples like ghettos and xenophobia on the part of people who are trying to “preserve their race”.

I still do not see any tangible benefit in preserving them. This does not mean that I support that all humans should forcefully turn into a homogenic shade of brownish yellow but rather that we should just not care what colour the word population is achieving on average.

Stop being a retard and read what I’m pointing out. You’re talking about this as if because I enjoy the fact I was born white means I dislike people of other colors? Your point at this juncture means fuckall. I also enjoy living in the northern part of the country and wouldn’t enjoy living at the equator. Does this also make me a racist? Or perhaps I am a “climacist” and think people living in other regions of the world can’t develop culture.

You’ve clearly missed my point that you should be proud of who you are, no matter who you are. If I was black, I would be proud to be black. Saying you’re happy to be who you are is strange? Since when? You’re proud that you were born in North America, how is this concept different from skin color? You don’t get to choose where you are born. You’re proud of the skills you’ve honed? How can you say such a thing? Oh wait… that’s because that makes up your person as a whole being. Guess what… you’re skin is part of that being, no more than your height, your eye color. I also like people with blue or grey eyes, does that make me screwed up? I like brunette girls too. Clearly I’m off my nut.

Where do I say that culture is a by-product of skin color? The preservation principal applies to all things, not just skin color. How about you being able to read with comprehension before you make wild accusations about people? Lets look at it this way, are Polish people white? Yes. Do they have a different culture from the French? Slightly, but yes. Should both communities seek to preserver their unique culture. Yes. Lets try this again, this time with China and Japan. Are both races Asian? Yes. Should both cultures seek to preserve their unique traits? Yes. Should these societies be proud of themselves and their accomplishments? Why not… what kind of horror is this doing if you preserve your people? It looks like you read “Mein Kampf” where Hitler critcized culture and tried to apply those words to me, yet not even remotely realizing I wasn’t talking about those things. If you don’t get it, don’t comment.

At this point, I have to confess I’m curious despite my language use. Why wouldn’t you want to preserve such things as culture and race. They’re unique in this world’s development. It’s what makes living here kind of special. So why would you point the finger at me to be racist because I like being white and accuse me of being a racist. Why wouldn’t you want to preserve your culture and race? The black girl that sits next to me at work is proud that she is black. I just asked her this. So apparently I’m not the only person on the planet who doesn’t get bent out of shape when I look at my skin color every day.