Half of Ukip voters say they are prejudiced against people of other races.

One of the reasons we criminalise actions and not thoughts in this country.

Humans are not instinctive animals though. The key part of our evolution was the ability to reason and be self-aware. We may have once been roaming, violent, tribes of at most 100 people but this doesn't differentiate us from many other animals. That we were able to form large collectives, societies and finally entire empires and civilisations was because of our ability to think and communicate with each other and to form common stories or concepts which bind us (nations/religions etc). We have moral codes and laws which are also not an innate part of existence. This isn't abnormal or superficial, it's core to our species. It is simply wrong to assert humans are nothing more than cavemen with a level of artifice on top. The last 6,000 years didn't happen by accident.

In fact you could argue that it was the ability to think up stories, nations, religions(*) and more which was led to racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism. It's a corruption of our ability to form cohesive societies.

Despite people claiming otherwise we do not have a great understanding of early human history. You can use dubious evolutionary reasons for this stuff but there isn't a great deal of evidence to support it. We know humans killed each other but we don't know if it was because of 'differences'. It is unlikely tribes came across much variation in their lifetimes. Scientists are increasingly believing that racism is a learned behaviour and not a instinctive one. If you look around the animal kingdom there isn't evidence that it exists in other species....

*from the perspective of an atheist anyway

[Russ]

I think what's important is someone's definition of 'racist'.

There are those who think racism means to attack and be violent towards anyone of a different skin colour, to deny them rights etc. So whereas they may feel uncomfortable around other races and secretly wished they'd "go away", as they're not throwing bricks at them, shouting abuse etc then they don't consider themselves to be 'racist'. Not saying I think that's right or wrong, just an observation.

These internal feelings of uneasiness towards other races is something I believe can never ever be eradicated, indeed it may be evolutionary. I've never had a problem with anyone having those feelings. I've always said racism in itself is not a massive problem. It becomes one when it influences your behaviour negatively towards another person.

On the subject of being prejudice: if you go to an Indian restaurant, which race would you find yourself expecting the staff to be? You're pre-judging, but again it's not having a negative affect on others.

If your car breaks down and you call out the AA/RAC, you'll expect the driver to be male. Now I know both organisations have very high standards for its breakdown staff so it would make no difference if they were male or female but you would find yourself pre-judging. It's human nature.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by Taf

Several of my "minority group" friends are all saying they will vote UKIP because they are "sick of the European economic migrants and those who are coming here from Africa via Europe". Racist? Possibly. Realist? Probably.

Hard to believe but pretty much my experience. Immigrants that have had to jump through the hoops and take citizenship tests that I know are generally not impressed with European migrants and those claiming asylum who just waltz in.

The Black friends I have are pretty much right wing with their political views.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Escapee

The Black friends I have are pretty much right wing with their political views.

They (immigrants here) nearly always are the most vocal, its all most as if they're saying I'm here sod the rest of them, pull that draw bridge up

[figgyburn]

I do not usually post any thought's on racial discussions as it opens up a hornet's nest. but i concur with a lot of posters thought's that it is inbred in us since time began. if they are "not like us" a little light goes off somewhere in our brain. a simple example. if you as a white man and an other white man and a black man were in a room and you were put in a position where you could only save one of them i pretty sure most white men would automatically choose to save the white person. i daresay if the colours were reversed a black man would save the other black man. Basic instinct.

Well, we don't club women any more to mate with them, or leave our old out to die when they can't forage, so perhaps we are capable of rising above our "basic instincts"....

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Well, we don't club women any more to mate with them, or leave our old out to die when they can't forage, so perhaps we are capable of rising above our "basic instincts"....

you might not where you you live -but we go out clubbing on a Saturday night and i don't mean dancing uggh

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

you might not where you you live -but we go out clubbing on a Saturday night and i don't mean dancing uggh

You really aren't in the modern world, barbarian. No-one uses clubs anymore it's all about the Rohypnol.