THE EVOLUTIONARY ROOTS OF RACISM

Why are racism and its relatives so prevalent in our society? It is diversity, combined with survival of the fittest that drives evolution. The more diverse the "experiments", the more likely it is to find the best solutions. This goes for philosophies, cultures and whole civilizations just as much as for genetics. Certainly it is human nature to feel the need to "belong". Whether that belonging focuses on one’s race, philosophical sub-culture, or sporting team, the instinctual drive is the same. It is the sense of belonging combined with random chance that allows diversity to develop. Individuals that are different tend to be attracted to others that share that difference. The instinctual need to belong encourages diversity to develop out of homogeneity. This is where racism and its relatives come in. It tends to push diverse groups apart. To isolate them to follow their own path. To allow the experiments to continue undisturbed. To survive or become extinct. If there had never been the Cold War, if communist countries had "cross-pollinated" freely with capitalist countries, we may never have found out that communism on a large scale doesn't work. Racism and its relatives seem to be inherent in human nature. Surfboard riders can be "racist" towards surfski riders. Followers of soccer teams can be "racist" towards other teams supporters. Religious followers can be "racist" to other religions. It finds expression in so much of human collective behavior. If you're different you don't belong, we don't like you, go away. Even environmentalists and anti-racists tend to feel (their philosophies) superior to the developers and the racists. They can be incredibly high minded and bigoted as a result. Often thinking that the end justifies the means. Bigotry and closed mindedness exist on both sides of every fence. "Racism" not just a product of our mixed up western culture. It exists in every race, culture, historical epoch. The only exceptions tend to exist in small, isolated monocultures. With globalization, racial and religious mixing, and the spread of materialistic western culture, are we risking puting all our eggs in one basket? If you are growing corn (for example), and wanting to select for desirable genetic traits, then you must isolate it from other strains to prevent cross-pollination. If you try to grow two types of corn in one field, after a few generations you will have only one type. Granted, that one type will have greater diversity than either of the two original types alone, but useful diversity will have decreased.  A small amount of cross-pollination can be useful in promoting useful diversity, allowing better combinations of positive traits. But uncontrolled cross-pollination reduces diversity. Hence racism has played an important role in the evolution of Homo-sapiens, and his cultures. It is one of evolution's tools. Saying that racism is bad is like saying that sexuality is bad. You are fighting human nature. You can forcibly suppress it, but it will always resurface. Like sexuality there are people that can easily control it, and those that have no control. This a product of our genetic, developmental, and cultural diversity. We can try to minimize the developmental and cultural reinforcements of innate racism, with a great amount of success, but we will have to work at it forever. Also, in doing so we will reduce the amount of evolutionary useful diversity within our genes and our cultures by intermarriage and cultural cross-pollination. The world could end up populated by coffee colored people with only relatively small cultural differences. Not in itself a bad thing as it would probably reduce conflict. However we would be putting all our eggs in one evolutionary basket. Without any others to compare it with, there is no way to be sure that that basket is the best one possible. It could also lead to an evolutionary dead end. Pandas are very beautiful and peaceful animals, but they have evolved themselves into a dead end where they have become very specialized, and can no longer adapt to change. The big question as I see it is "Has the natural evolution of Homo-Sapiens come to an end?” If it has, then it must be replaced by consciously controlled evolution. Hitler had a stab at this approach. The genetic engineers will be only too willing to take over. However if our natural evolution is to continue, then racism and its relatives have a role to play. These days the word racism implies feelings of superiority/inferiority and disrespect for those that are different. We don't want to endorse genocide etc, but we do need to recognize that there is value in cultural and genetic diversity. Maybe we shouldn't encourage genetic and cultural mixing on a large scale. Everyone is deserving of respect, and no groups need be considered superior or inferior. There must be exceptions to all rules and a certain amount of genetic and cultural mixing would be beneficial. There is no need to recreate apartheid; all that is required is for governments, cultures, families and individuals to recognize the value of diversity. Cultural and genetic integrity is the positive side of something (racism) that is normally considered only negatively. If we can find ways to cultivate the positive aspects of our instincts, the negative aspects will not need to find expression.