The first part of this post is not required to understand this thought, it kind of just 'sets the scene' so to speak, so if you want to read it to see the necessary disclaimer and get the backstory behind this post you can find it here:
https://steemit.com/philosophy/@thespiritwithin/racism-isn-t-racism-pt-1
Sorry that this isn't as polished as is could be, I kinda just wanted to send this thought out asap given all the shit going on. Anyways, here goes nothing:
There is a great argument and rising tensions in America about key symbols from the country's past, namely statues and flags, but (as with art) who's to say that a symbol (an objective stimulus) can't mean something different to me then it does to you? The symbol, on its own, holds no meaning, value, or power outside of what people give it. No more perfect example of this can be given than that of the Cross.... to Christians it means victory over Hell, Satan, sin, and even death itself while to the Romans who used it extensively it meant the total, absolute and visible public humiliation and defeat of Rome's enemies.
I didn't sit down to argue about flags and statues, though. I wrote this to help paint a picture of this divisive tension that now plagues us. You see, the symbols aren't the problem, the problem is the problem, and that problem (contrary to what many loud voices on both sides argue) isn't about race, religion, presidential votes, or ethnicity.
Let me backtrack a minute here (I warned you I would) and say that yes, racism exists. Yes, there are many people across the world that simplistically judge and discriminate based on skin color or country of origin rather than look to the merits and flaws of an individual as the measure of their character. Yes, it is wrong and yes, it causes pain and suffering.
Now that that's done, let me repeat that Racism is not the problem. Actual hardline racists (of whatever racial identity) are by far in the minority. The majority of Americans have been conditioned to care far more about physical attractiveness, social status, and economic wealth than they do about the ethnicity of their neighbors. Usually (at least in my experience) racist outbursts are mainly a symptom of anger related to the words, behavior or actions of another person or group of people. I argue that the source of the tension and divisiveness seen in America lately is not racism but Culturalism.
When one looks at culturalism through an objective lens, it kind of looks an awful lot like racism. It possesses a certain sense of pride, oftentimes resulting in conflicts with other cultures and creating an 'us versus them' mentality in a great many individuals. It is a major influence in political rhetoric, wars, religious disputes and tribal conflicts. Like racial identity, cultural identity is centered around the desire of an individual to group himself/herself together with others that they see as similar to them, whether that be based on socio-economic status, ethnic/national/regional heritage, religious beliefs, political views, personal interests and hobbies, scientific endeavors, philosophical ideologies or a wide range of such influences.
Neither racial identity nor cultural identity are a significant problem, ill, evil, whathaveyou, on their own. How those identities are used/expressed could possibly lead to the attempted extermination of an entire race (how come nobody talks about the gypsy/ Romana genocides?)..... or they could be quite empowering as one desires to actively learn history and achieve an understanding that can only be found outside of state-sponsored school curriculums (personally, I've gained a wealth of knowledge and wisdom by embracing and exploring my Irish heritage, with the pride I felt for being the offspring of such a colorful culture being a major influence in my love of song and poetry while causing me to come to understand many of the horrors committed by the conquest of British colonialism).
Unfortunately, when cultures clash the society as a whole gets split along these cultural lines. It is the working class vs. the ruling class. It is the political Left vs. the political Right. It is the Nationalists vs. the Globaists. It is the statists vs the anarchists and the capitalists vs. the communists. It is the Christians vs. the Jews vs. the Muslims vs. the Satanists and atheists. The American society has been divided against itself by the very fabric that has made its collective culture so rich and unique. Yes, racism does exist. Yes, it is bad. However, the cloud of tensions experienced in the US right now are not caused by or related to it. What American is experiencing today is perceived as racism , but it truly isn't racism... It is culturalism run amok.
I kindly ask you all to think before you hate.
