[Neurons] 2008 Meta Reflections #30

[meta]

From: L. Michael Hall
2008 Meta Reflections #29

June 30, 2008



META-RACE



September of 2007 I wrote about the term "race" or more precisely the mis-use of this term and some of the pseudo-concepts that fall out from it. At that time I mentioned that Alfred Korzybski used the term "racial" to speak about the human race. So while I had grown up thinking and believing that "racial" meant other human races, Korzybski helped me to understand a larger truth: There is only one race-the human race. On this planet there is only one race and we all belong to the same species. The reason for this is singularly simple-because there are no other species of humans.

A result of this misunderstanding is the mis-use of the term "race" which has created a tremendous amounts of pain, distress, hate, fear, stress, and jealousy. It's amazing how one small word can create a universe of pathology! If there is but one race on this planet, then there are no "race" problems. There is no such thing as race conflicts, race strife, race distinctions, etc. Poof! They are gone. Well, I wish.

Actually when we invest dysfunctional meaning into that word and use it to distinguish members of the human family-what ugliness and evil we create! Our invention of the word race starts the problem, calls it into being, and gives people permission to be hateful to others in the human family.

Now as semantic beings we humans live in language. As we invent and use words, so we create our world. And here the word "race" creates not only an intellectual misunderstanding, it subtly leads us to construct our realities, our worlds, our behaviors, our emotions, and our reactions to others. The word separates people. It transforms the most superficial differences (skin color, eye shape, nose, mouth, etc.) into semantically loaded problems. The word blinds us to being members of the same family. It differentiates us so that we act like these superficial differences are important as if it indicates different species or races. And once the word locks in the differences, a battle begins about superior/ inferior, good/evil; intelligent/ stupid. All over a word! Someone should outlaw that word!

Over a word people then get stupid. They get upset, hateful, ugly, and nasty with each other. They view each other as belonging to difference "races" and imagine differences that don't exist.

What we call the different "races" are actually just different family distinctions. Yes there are differences. There are differences between the family traits of people who have grow up in different areas of the planet. Yet what differences are we talking about? We are talking about such important things as color of skin, shape of mouth, nose, eyes, etc.-family traits! This is on the same order as when an aunt or grandmother says, "You have your mother's eyes." "Your brother has a nose from your father's side of the family." The so-called "racial" distinctions are just family traits. Nothing more. They are not actually "racial" differences since we are all part of the same race-the human race.

So what is the problem with these family distinctions? What if someone's skin has more or less pigmentation than yours? When you think about it-skin color has to be the most superficial and trivial distinction between peoples! Whoever thought to make that a criteria about the value or worth or honor or esteem of a human being? What were they thinking? When it comes to people-character is a thousand times more important than color of skin! And what about integrity? Isn't that a thousand times more important than where on the globe you were born and the amount of pigmentation in your skin or what family characteristics you happen to have?

Yet imagine the insanity of people all of this planet feeling superior or inferior in comparison with other people due to skin color, facial features, etc. What a waste of time, energy, intelligence! And when you think about the fights, conflicts, insults, and wars due to the fact that some families of the human race have differences in this trivial matters-it boggles the mind to think about the waste of human potentials.

Yet even in this so-called enlightened 21st century, we have "race" problems and "race" conflicts. In the recent political season here in America, the democrats have brought all of this to the forefront. People have been "playing the race card," others doing "race baiting," and people who hold grievances about what our great-great-great grand parents thought and did in their ignorance toward each other.

All of these things are pseudo-problems. If there are not multiple races on this planet, but just the one singular human race, then we are inventing and creating problems where there doesn't need to be a problem. The real problem is that we are inventing in our minds and thoughts and language differences and semantically loading those differences. The real problem boils down to a lack of respect and love which arises from failing to see that we are all members of the same family.

If we respect all people as human beings-equal in value, dignity, and esteem and if we love all members of the human family, what would happen to "race" and all these unnecessary distinctions? We call this problem of "race" into existence by the creation of the term and then by meta-stating the term (framing it with layers of semantic meanings) so that we build up morbid and erroneous ideas: some people are superior, some are inferior.

In the final analysis this problem is a problem of frames. If you think there's such a thing as "race" and that there are different races, and that some people are more equal than others-then you create what we call "racism." Then we look at people, not as people- as human beings, but we look at others through the various lens of these concepts that disrespect and discount people.

Is there such a thing then as "racism?" Sure there is! But we deceive ourselves, and we delude others, when we call it "racism." The problem is not that complex or complicated. It is much simpler. What we call "racism" is fear and insecurity and hatefulness and anger which all results from the pre-judged (prejudiced) frames that refuses to see and acknowledge the full human family. It is when we start with the idea that some people are less valuable because of superficial things as skin color, facial distinctions, location of family heritage ... the result is the morbid pathology that we call "racism."

And this problem could easily be solved. Love for all people as family members-acceptance of physical differences as we accept differences is our children and sibling, understanding that all people need respect and dignity, honor that all people are just trying to find their way and discover who they are. Then we will unleash tremendous human potentials!



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L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.
Neuro-Semantics Ltd., Executive Director
ISNS - International Society of Neuro-Semantics
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