It never fails, I learn something new today... that something for me is "scientific racism". I would never have thought you would put those words together and come out with something as to what Strayer did - "One was the prominence of race in distinguishing rulers and ruled, as the high tide of "scientific racism" in Europe coincided with the acquisition of Asian and African colonies. What does that mean? Does that mean the European "scientifically" determined who was better than the other? Who could the European's dominate over? That is not a science...to me that is just greedy, fear of being bullied themselves and power hungry. Strayer goes on to say, "In East Africa, white men expected to be addressed as bwana (master in Swahili) where Europeans addressed African men as boy." Basically, any person native to the land the Europeans came up with the bright idea that they all came from tribes and they are primitive. I think I read it correctly, but I could have sworn the text said that the "European identified and, "sometimes invented", distinct tribes, each with its own territory, language, customs and chief." Of course I shortened the text but did I read it right where it said "sometime invented"? You have got to be kidding. Seriously?!? If this is the case, how true is what we have read about the Africans? What part was "sometimes invented"? The language? I cannot comprehend that this actually went on.
There was no way the Europeans were going to look at Asian an African people as equals. They look different so that means they are different and don't understand what is proper. They are primitive... oh my would not survive during this time. This particular section went on to bring in gender as another piece. Interesting comparison - European colonizers = active masculinity :: conquered races = soft, passive and feminine. Passive because they didn't fight back? or didn't have the means to fight back? The Europeans basically came in and bullied there way to dominance. Today, we look down on bullying and make every effort to educate people not to tolerate it. Just reading on and on about this piece in the text - we could pick a part everything that just seems off. Between putting people in a classification or determining how things should be done even they contradict themselves - I am surprised that the world has made it this far. Made it where people have changed their mindset and are not so fearful of the unknown and willing to have an open mind. But lets go back to the term "scientific racism". Putting people in a classification - was this thought up before we came up with the classification of animal/insect kingdom -
Had to share this cartoon...
I was thrown for a loop by the "scientific racism" as well - pretty @#$% -n amazing...
ReplyDeleteThe cartoon makes me feel sad - because as far as we've come - it's still relevant.
I feel the same way about the cartoon. It is unfortunate that people still stereotype others based on their skin color, age or gender - etc. I hope one day we will be able to be as one - but it is hard to say because people have had this mentality since the ancient era.
DeleteLet's hope it will evolve into a more of in favor of equality, or at least an egalitarian perspective some day.