Quote:
Originally Posted by dalerobk2
Racism: a general prejudice and/or discrimination against people of a certain race.
I hope you don't mind me defining the other words you used there using google define:
prejudice: "Preconceived opinion not based on reason or experience."
discrimination: "The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things"
I would say that for most people (at least ones that aren't overtly racist otherwise), racial preferences for dating are based on experience (ie "I've seen many black people and they simply don't arouse me as much") and are not unjust. I think it would be a stretch to call this racism, and it's a stretch that make the word too weak.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dalerobk2
No really sure about the hair color thing. I don't really know the history behind it. I would guess the preference for blondes is also racial since they tend to be associated with more racially homogeneous people from northern Europe. Again, I really don't know why. I've never really had a hair preference.
Why can't it be like with other areas of aesthetics -- some people prefer certain colors to paint their houses with, some people prefer certain artists over others, etc. I don't know that hair color has to turn into a racial thing too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dalerobk2
My understanding is the opposite of this. Genetic diversity is suppose to be good, I thought. This is why you don't want to have offspring with a sibling or cousin, for example.
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Originally Posted by amazinmets73
Isn't diversification of genes a good thing? We all know what inbreeding does to mammals...
You both are correct, but completely miss the point. Evolution drives us to preserve our genes. It's why we have babies in the first place (evolutionarily speaking). This also drives us to protect those around us (so they protect us later, and also because they are likely genetically similar to us since they live near us). I am fairly certain it also drives us to sexually preferring those with similar genes to us.
Here's some trash article that shows we do prefer people genetically similar to us, or at least those who look like us (and this isn't just along racial lines):
http://www.yourtango.com/201168699/a...le-who-look-us