[PUG] - Don't check "Asian": College Discrimination | Page 2 | INFJ Forum

[PUG] Don't check "Asian": College Discrimination

Race is socially constructed. The way people think of race makes no sense biologically.

Indeed.

I assume you said that in response to my reply to swing's post. Biological is different from what can be interpreted as a "natural" or "unnatural" behaviour. Anyways, this is going off on a tangent. Plz end nao.
 
With all do respect. Universities are broken for everyone. Especially the top university the Ivy function on a unrealistic reputation of exclusivity. That doesn't just effect one race.

I'm not saying there isn't an issue but its not just one race facing problems.
 
With all do respect. Universities are broken for everyone. Especially the top university the Ivy function on a unrealistic reputation of exclusivity. That doesn't just effect one race.

I'm not saying there isn't an issue but its not just one race facing problems.

Yup.

The system is unfair in many ways.
 
Indeed.

I assume you said that in response to my reply to swing's post. Biological is different from what can be interpreted as a "natural" or "unnatural" behaviour. Anyways, this is going off on a tangent. Plz end nao.

But can biological be different from what is interpreted as natural or unnatural behavior? How do we distinguish between natural and unnatural?
 
I think socioeconomic background is something that should be more stressed upon in place of race/ethnicity in the selection process. If it's diversity schools are concerned about, that would help make schools a lot more diverse, even in terms of race.

I value this, and I think I agree too. That said, make it socioeconomic background + merit, and you just might end up with a school full of Asians anyway (and nothing wrong with that in my view).

If having universities with a >50% Asian student body gives non-Asians in the USA reason to worry, well for fucks sake, it should! But the Asians aren’t the “problem.” Our cultural attitudes as it regards the importance of an individual’s performance in school, the value of an individual’s knowledge/demonstrated intelligence, and how important (and what the purpose of) schools and their teachers are — these attitudes are the problem! It’s more important here to fit in than it is to excel — and in a global community that kind of attitude won’t get you far or get you much.


cheers,
Ian
 
Thank you for posting that, [MENTION=3998]niffer[/MENTION]. It's an incredible thing - racism (or classism or culturalism, or reverse racism, whatever you want to call it) is just as nasty as it ever was. The preconceived ideas one culture has over another is still prevalent; regardless on whether or not we're the human race, humans will still find ways to classify each other (heh. MBTI, anyone?).

What's interesting about that report is the sad fact that students still have to hide who they are in order to get the education they need. It's not very different from the 1950s/60s when Black students applied to certain universities.
 
But can biological be different from what is interpreted as natural or unnatural behavior? How do we distinguish between natural and unnatural?

The way I see it all behaviour is natural, even if it is learned. Humans are part of nature. I don't see "unnatural" as plausible in any sense when referring to the concrete world, actually.

That said, some things don't make sense biologically -- it doesn't mean they may not occur repeatedly in our natural environment. Humans biologically do not know how to make fire from birth; that just wouldn't make sense. I know what you're trying to say... biology, or the way we have evolved can make us more inclined towards certain behaviours.
 
If using the concept of race isn't natural, then why do communities/cultures/nations all over the world have this concept as well? Why are your perceptions of natural inclinations a culture even related to freedom?

Q1: Probably because of power and socialization. Race is a construct, it is definitely not natural. And behind every construct usually lies power. The article you posted, that already happened long time ago in Brazil. Back then twins with the same skin color applied for university. Their skin was neither "white" nor "black", so one kid checked "white" and the other "black". One kid got in, the other didn't.

Q2: You can't have freedom if you are constantly labeled according to the color of your skin. That is as absurd as segmenting the population into "big ears" and "small ears". And an expression of that is the fact that the "black" population in the US has a significantly shorter lifespan than the average Chinese or Indian, although they're way richer than the Chinese and Indians.
 
I check the black box but I am a white person.
 
Interesting thread. Thanks [MENTION=3998]niffer[/MENTION]. I'll add on to it when I have time.
 
Its always cute how United Statians declare themselves 'western' ignoring that they are about 25% (wet thumbed) of the 'western' population.

As a Scotsman I was always told - if you want to feel good, go sit in a park in the states, you'll know you are the smartest person in the nearest mile. We don't think much of the average intelligence of white United Statians.
 
I can relate to this. When I was applying to schools my senior year of high school, and even when I took my AP exams, my teachers advised me to put "African" American in the boxes, telling me that I will have a better chance of "getting in" and "getting scholarships" (My mother is Caucasian and Sioux, and my father is Ghanian). Like some of the students in the article, I followed their advice, but I truly felt like I was cheating.
 
Q1: Probably because of power and socialization. Race is a construct, it is definitely not natural. And behind every construct usually lies power. The article you posted, that already happened long time ago in Brazil. Back then twins with the same skin color applied for university. Their skin was neither "white" nor "black", so one kid checked "white" and the other "black". One kid got in, the other didn't.

That depends on your definition of "natural". I mentioned in the post ahead of yours... "The way I see it all behaviour is natural, even if it is learned. Humans are part of nature. I don't see "unnatural" as plausible in any sense when referring to the concrete world, actually." If your definition of "unnatural" is behaviour that is learned vs. innate, then the concept of race is likely unnatural.

Q2: You can't have freedom if you are constantly labeled according to the color of your skin. That is as absurd as segmenting the population into "big ears" and "small ears". And an expression of that is the fact that the "black" population in the US has a significantly shorter lifespan than the average Chinese or Indian, although they're way richer than the Chinese and Indians.

I have no idea what your example is supposed to be illustrating or how it is relevant to "freedom". Why can't one have freedom just because they are being segmented or labeled? I think it depends more on the effects that the labels have upon the people, rather than the actual label itself.