Shock Factor

I do a lot of observing (you guys know that already because i say it all the time) and i usually only post on here when i observe things that are either weird, unusual, striking, or i'm just curiuos about something in particular. Anyway, i recently noticed something about everyday life that just may be the key to unraveling the whole mystery of racism, as well as the rejection of interracial couples. I'm not sure if the word is correct, but i think that the word desensitize is what i'm looking for here. I believe that when you see something enough, you kinda become used to it, or you become desensitized. For instance, my brother made a pathetic attempt to gross me out the other day by showing me a movie that had people with gigantic holes in their stomach, missing genitals (i mean ripped off) and all kinds of other gross stuff, but i wasn't repulsed by any of it at all. I used to get sick to my stomach at the very sight of blood, let alone guts hanging out, but after watching so many hours of Dr. 90210, nip tuck, and that emergency room show on the TLC channel, somehow i've just gotten used to seeing these kinds of things, and i'm no longer put off by it. When i think about racism, and why people are racist, i think about the shock factor. Don't you know how people always say that someone is afraid of what they don't know? Well, gosh darnit, it's true! People who are racist either haven't interacted with, talked to, or been exposed to the people that they're racist against in my opinion. And the ones who do associate with the people that their racist against, well, they aren't associating enough. They need to associate more and more and more with them until that shock factor wears off, and until they get used to the person that they're hating against. It's amazing when that happens you know. For instance, I have a class really early in the morning, and this white guy sits next to me that i didn't know of course. He kind of has that geekish look to him, you know, he has the really long hair, the glasses, and the zits all over his face. Well, one afternoon we just started making conversation with each other, and i enjoyed it a lot. And every day that we'd have class, we would make conversation and joke around about really silly topics. Well, the point that i'm trying to make is that it didn't take very long for this guys skin color to just melt away, and for me to realize that we actually had an awful lot in common. You know, I got used to him. The only time that i'll ever see him as white is when somebody smacks me in the face and asks me what color he is or something, because i literally don't even notice it anymore. Moral to the story is that people, in my opinion, need to become desensitized to seeing and interacting with each other. They need to interact, and interact, and interact, and interact sommore until they get competely and totally used to being around each other, and i honestly do believe that the key to getting rid of racist attitudes is just that, well, simple.

 

Yeah I agree. I grew up in an incredibly multiracial environment so although I'm not dumb enough to say that I "don't notice" when someone is a different race to me, it doesn't form any part of my reaction to them.

Short anecdotes: when I was 3, I came up to my parents hand in hand with another little girl wearing the same dress as me, but she was of Caribbean descent: "look mummy, twins!"

Another time, I was tugging on my granny's sleeve incessantly talking about "the black man" at the door, but when my mum went to answer the door she found - a man in a black suit.

What a card I was :lol:

 

Man...who can read this when it's all clumped together? Let's start practicing the use of that Return key!

 

It's not that hard to read, if you listen to the tone of voice in your head when you read it... :lol:

also, I usually enjoy reading your posts, Bryant. You seem to be wise beyond your years, although you come off as a little naive sometimes. I see what you mean though. I think this is what you're sayin': If people get used to something, like, an interaction of some sort, over and over again, then the 'shock factor' will eventually dissipate into indifference, which is the case most of the time when teenagers play very violent video games, and then see acts of murder and horror on TV, but then, feel unaffected by it.

 

I wouldn't say that interaction works for all people. Some people, whether they do it consciously or subconsciously actually like to hate other races. Racism is also caused by a negative influence in someones life. I know there's plenty of people that wouldn't hate black people soo much if they never knew about slavery in America, or saw negative images portrayed about black people on television.

It sounds sort of far-fetched but it's kind of like a King/Queen and the peasant relationship going on for some people. Some people(whether they're white or another race) feel like they're the King/Queen and feel like by associating with the peasant(<<which many people look at black people as) that they're making a mockery of the inheritance of their bloodline.

Yes, I know some people won't agree with me completely, but it seems like there are many people who view black people as less-than-human peasants that have inferior minds whether they get to know us or not. It seems like some people feel obligated to have an animosity towards blacks. For instance, a particular person can be completely fine with talking to this black person or people when they don't have that "influence" around them. But as soon as the "influence"(influence being other racist people) is present, or greatly present then they feel the need to act like they don't know the black person well or they completely ignore them like they never knew them.

Other than that, yes, interaction can bring tolerance but there are many who have a hard time overcoming the "peer-pressure" from their race that is put upon them by society as a whole. Some just can't face their "fears"(interaction w/ blacks or whomever the race is they are afraid of) the same way some people can't and absolutely refuse to face their fear of heights.

 

Yes, exactly! That's what i mean, definitely! Yeah, when you see something enough, that shock factor eventually does turn into indifference. When i first got here(college), i didn't know anything about white people because where i grew up, there weren't that many of them you know. But since i've been here, and because there are so many opportunities for interaction here, i've made a few white guy friends, developed an interest in white girls, and i've been able to get rid of all of the stereotypes that i've had about them altogether. The many opportunities for interaction was definitely the key. By the way SardonicGenie, i don't mind you saying that i'm naive sometimes. That's why i enjoy asking so many questions

 

I think there is some truth in this. Regular exposure to something can desensitize us to it, hence so called "compassion fatigue" with all these different charity appeals on the tv and collecting in the street. Not the same I know, but just goes to show how even the most shocking thing can become the norm after a while if we're exposed to it enough.

 

Actually, interaction helps to soften the shock factor, let alone the blow of racist impact. You might also be interested in knowing that there are anti-black racists all over the world who could care less about slavery, and think that we actually deserved it.

See previous answer.

See previous answers.

Ditto.

 

Yup, because it becomes less shocking all the time as you experience it repeatedly.