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0 pointsLazare10y ago0 comments

> People CANNOT be categorized based on skin color at all, AT ALL.

People are categorized in that manner every day. Perhaps you're trying to say that's regrettable and inaccurate?

> To identify even yourself as belonging to a distinct "color" is just a fabrication of American culture

Certainly, but it's a culture which still exists. It doesn't go away just because you announce that it's illogical and unfortunate. I think you may be falling prey to the is-ought problem[1].

(To be clear, I'm not expressing a view on Github's actions, but I think it's somewhat naive to suggest that there aren't real problems out there.)

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is%E2%80%93ought_problem

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5 comments · 1 top-level

proc010y ago· 4 in thread

Yes, I'm saying it's a wrong categorization, and inaccurate. People inaccurately categorize themselves as well. It would be more accurate to not refer to those categories as race, but as sub-cultures, because then it becomes something that isn't inherent to someone's identity. People of mixed race, for example, half "black", half "white", will often choose to be "black", and identify as such, when in fact, their race is a mix, yet they see themselves as "black". This is clear proof it's all fabricated, but most people can't see this.

argonaut10y ago

The problem is that people do it. Telling people to stop talking about it is not going to solve the problem while the reality remains that many, many people out there judge others based on race and other "inaccurate categorizations."

proc010y ago

That's true, in practice it's different and it could be hard. But still, companies that take into consideration this incorrect categorization are exacerbating the problem, because I'm sure there are alternatives to helping unfortunate people without considering their race.

LazareOP10y ago

Everything you said is factually correct. Race is a social construct with just as much meaning as society chooses to give it, which ideally should be none, because it's inherently nonsensical.

The problem is, society chooses to give it a significant amount of meaning.

> People of mixed race, for example, half "black", half "white", will often choose to be "black", and identify as such, when in fact, their race is a mix, yet they see themselves as "black".

Yes, but they're generally treated by society as "black". And since race is construct rather than a scientific or genetic reality, that's all that really matters.

Racial categories ought not to matter, but the cold truth is they do.

malandrew10y ago

    The problem is, society chooses to give it a significant 
    amount of meaning.

But why do we have the society we currently have? Can't we foster a society where race is less important by making it less important to the point it's not a concept we consider at all?

Personally, I felt as though we were progressing towards a society where we were giving it less and less meaning but in recent years we're regressing towards elevating its importance again and that is resulting in animosity.

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