How Many Race Hucksters and Opportunists Will Be out of Work When the Majority of People Accept the Truth - Race is a Social Construct, Not Genetic.
What Race Are You? - I'm Human
When my kids have asked me what race they are as they were growing up (I am Irish, my wife Salvadorean), I have always responded "human". This was not a smart-ass answer as I am prone to give but meant to instill in them a viewpoint that will help them to succeed in life. Modern Science has proven that "race" is not genetic. Biologically, there are more differences amongst members of a particular "race" than differences between "races" - American Anthropological Association.
In a quote from the Human Genome Project, one can see that even well respected and knowledgeable scientists in the field disagree about race: "Race is a fluid concept used to group people according to various factors including, ancestral background and social identity. Race is also used to group people that share a set of visible characteristics, such as skin color and facial features. Though these visible traits are influenced by genes, the vast majority of genetic variation exists within racial groups and not between them. Race is an ideology and for this reason, many scientists believe that race should be more accurately described as a social construct and not a biological one."
Society Spends Too Much Time Concerned With Race
When we fill out forms, they often ask our race. When people apply to college, the forms ask their race. The Census asks our race. Why are we so obsessed with classifying humans? How does society benefit? It doesn't, but particular people do - politicians, community organizers, lawyers, judges, entertainers, and countless others.
There is a whole industry based on exploiting race. People make fortunes, become famous, and gain great power by exploiting race. Politicians garner votes by dividing races, not by bringing them together. They conspire with community organizers to write laws that force companies and institutions to pay out huge sums for "racial discrimination".
Lawyers and judges make a living off the system too. The lawsuits must be prosecuted, defended, and judges. In all society really doesn't benefit at all, but individuals do. That's why the exploitation continues, those that benefit are in power and want to keep it going.
What Can We Do About it?
Stop buying into the division that society creates. I'm not saying to be cliche and "not see" our differences, whatever they may be. Quite the opposite, embrace the differences that we have. We all have different experiences and ideas. We become better when we share those experiences and understand each other better.
The next time you disagree with someone and feel you need to argue, try to see their perspective. When we are faced with division, don't buy into it. Resist the temptation to see people as the other, we are all humans. We just have different experiences and belief systems.
Race is as superficial as height or eye color. The true thing that divides people is cultural separation - which can extend through many forms, including religion, politics, as well as indigenous groups claiming a common historical tradition (and specifically defined as separate from other groups). The good news is that culture is dynamic and relative (sub-regions, castes etc, to an nth degree). This means we can encourage a common culture and sense of community regardless of physical appearance or family history. The bad news is that we see an increasing trend away from the 'melting pot' of common culture in a given region/country...multi-culturalism initially an attempt at 'enlightened' inclusion - has basically normalized separatism. Hopefully we can eventually shift away from separation and towards unity.
Thank you @luup. You are correct, we do so many things to partition and keep people divided. I for one do my best to be inclusive. As a lifelong libertarian (even before I knew what it meant) I believe we all have the exact same rights and are free to do as we wish as long as it doesn't harm or take from others.