When holidays like today come along, I find myself biting my tongue in order to keep from overstepping my bounds as a white guy in this country.
It’s been established previously that I am white, did not grow up in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and don’t immediately notice the color of the skin of the person next to me on the elevator.
I would go so far as to say I’m ignorant to the issues of race in this country.
Ignorant as I may be, I am also quite smart. No, not by being well-informed, but by making the efforts to learn more about racial issues. Again, not by reading blogs devoted to minorities or having discussions with other representatives of our nation’s melting pot. I must do it the Weakonomics way.
In previous posts I’ve mentioned the book “Blink,” by Malcolm Gladwell. I’ve since then finished the book and will have a review sometime in the future. In essence “Blink” is all about the quick decisions our minds make for us. A simple example would be ducking as a ball is thrown towards your face. You didn’t decide to do it, your mind made you move without consulting your main brain functions.
Gladwell’s take on race was very eye-opening. I may butcher the original context but you’ll get the gist of my point in a second. In a study, participants were shown images of people and objects normally associated with negative connotations. The body reacts to these images differently than the way our mind does. A troubling pattern emerged when the faces of African Americans were shown. The human body exhibits a negative reaction to these images more often than it does to white people.
Before you start a rant about this observation, keep in mind African Americans watching the images exhibited the same pattern.
While I’ve never participated in the study I must admit to you and to myself that I might react in the same way. Despite the fact that my conscience and personality don’t care about race, the split second first impression of my instincts may see otherwise.
With this in mind I concede that the significance of Martin Luther King’s work remains relevant in the 21st century. On the eve of the inauguration of America’s first black president, I now recognize how important this is to millions of Americans. Tomorrow I’ll simply see the right man for the job being swarn in, but I’ll respect the hearts of so many that will see much more than a man.
note: 2005 ceremony pictured
Special thanks to teeef for her contributions to my last post about race. I can’t promise perfection in the future, but I do promise that I’m learning.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
