Racism, what is it? And why can't we eliminate it? There are many definitions for racism, just as there are many reasons for racism existing and surviving in modern day society. In a world developed on a foundation of human morals and "justice" there has always been and always will be an unseen force, a dark wandering shadow that hangs over our supposed "color blind" eyes.

Contrary to 21st century belief, racism is not just the inability to accept all peoples as equal, it is not just the inability to accept peoples of different ethnicities, religions and cultures as If they were your own, NO, racism is the general inability of humans as a species to accept that "we" as individuals are no better than the individual standing beside us. From the moment we are born and indeed since the moment that human history was born, we are taught that life is a competition that the world is our chess board and we must conquer its challenges. The irony of racism as it exists today is that those who are usually the victims of racism such as African Americans, Middle Easterners, Aboriginals or Asians are usually the most accepting of peoples. In other words if humans as a species separate themselves into two groups, the "blacks" and the "whites" than it is the "white" or "western" side of the world that initiated the world of racism and yet they still can't help but notice that they are one sided in their hatred of "blacks".

Why? The answer lies in education, history, religion and culture. Throughout western education we as students are told to be competitive, that to succeed in life we need to be better than the rest, and here rests our problem. With competition, comes the mindset that equality is not an option, If we were to eliminate racism, than everyone would be equal, and if everyone is equal than life's competition is brought to an end. The teachings of Western society can be seen to echo in the very histories of the world that we rely upon so heavily in modern society. In Ancient History, the History that was written was only written by the educated, powerful and usually the victorious. Due to this fact History, up until recently, has always presented itself from a "western" view point, and if "westerners" control history than we control how the world is run. Look at the world around you, do you notice how the planet is separated into "third world" and "first world" countries. Do you notice how none of the "third world" countries are "westernized" or "white" countries. It's a very disturbing trend, the reason it is so disturbing is because, the world's economy, politics and power rests upon the ideals and consequences of racism. Sure we don't call it that, but when world super powers exploit resources and workers from India, Africa and Cuba and then sell these resources at a profitable price, the earnings of which never find their way back to the village farmer in Zambia you can begin to understand why it is that racism will always be present in society.

To initiate a lifestyle and a government in which there is no threat of competition is to base your lifestyle on the exploitation and discrimination of others who are too helpless to defend themselves. You may label yourself as a non racist, and indeed physically, mentally and verbally you may well be neutral in this sense, but unfortunately the world you live in and the lifestyle you hold so dear is a result of racism. Control, power and stability on a universal scale is the result of racism and whilst this realization is enough to make you sick, it effectively educates you as an individual as to the reason behind the never ending evil of racism and the unending battle we as a species are so helplessly attempting to fight.

Learn more about this author, Annaleise Getley.
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