Channel 4: How racist are you?

[Scott-Copywriter]

Has anyone watched this tonight?

Any thoughts on it?

 

[Tommo]

Read this, then found out there's a Channel 4 on demand, watched it.

I thought it was excellent, finally some proper good TV.

Very insightful.

 

[Rhyl Lightworks]

I haven't watched this programme yet, so I cannot comment on it, but the title of the thread intrigued me. I define racism as treating someone differently because of their race. I therefore believe that we are all racist to some extent - we cannot help it, and I just don't believe those people that say 'I am not racist.........' In fact, I even think in a few circumstances, racism may be a good thing.

The best we can hope for is that when we make judgements based on race, that this is pointed out to us, and we will adjust our future behaviour accordingly.

Barrie

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

I took notice of the program with intrigue until the interview with the woman at the end. She basically said that 'white' people have racist and white supremacist views from birth - they're born with them. That just proved to me that she's a nutter and probably slightly racist herself.

The program also petered out into nothing. It was showcased as this 'event' with big revelations, but all it consisted of was a couple of arguments about racism, and then some rather obvious views from some psychologists. Bit naff really.

I do agree though that there is a huge problem with racism in this country, and I hope the program has created more awareness for it.

Anyway, I think racism is simply a majority thing. The 'race' with the highest majority will be prejudice against the minority. This is why I find the insinuation that 'white people' are racist slightly annoying, and racist in itself.

I often wonder, if the world was a different place where the UK was predominately full of 'black' people (and had been throughout history) and then there was a small minority of 'white' people, would many of the 'black' people be racist and discriminate against the minority of 'white' people?

It's entirely down to individual people in my opinion. People are conditioned with the situation in this world (i.e. being the majority race in a country, and being the original race of a country) and they can choose to be racist or not. Anyone of any skin colour or ethnicity can be just as racist as anyone else is they choose to.

It isn't down to a specific race, it's just down to the majority and minority. Unfortunately, in the world as we know it, many groups of 'ethnic' people have become the minority in many first world countries such as the UK and USA. I have actually heard many 'black' people who are just as racist and sometimes hateful towards 'white' people as many other racist people out there.

I've put those marks around the use of 'white' and 'black' because they aren't very good words to use (in my opinion), but they're the only ones I can think of which people will be able to relate to.

Had to vent myself there after watching the program.

 

[Tommo]

I thought that woman was just putting it on at first, and she'd be nice at the end in the interview.

She's not someone I'd like to meet.

 

[GreenLaser]

I haven't watched this program as well but I guess the title says it all. I've never agreed on racism. All is and should be fair.

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

I thought that woman was just putting it on at first, and she'd be nice at the end in the interview.

She's not someone I'd like to meet.

I think she probably had credible views back in the 1960's. However, over the past 40 years, she's probably manifested some serious hatred in herself. If she's focused on this for all that time, then I'm not surprised she's become slightly deluded and somewhat angry as a person.

She raises a good point, but when she said that she thinks all white people are born as racists with white supremacist views, then I couldn't take the experiment seriously. I thought she had a very clever psychological concept behind this, but now it seems like it's just based on hate and racism itself.

This isn't just because they're 'white' people either. If it was any ethnic group I'd still think that the experiment is very flawed.

PS: I actually think the point of the program is a good one. Due to the nature of it, I actually feel discriminated against myself, and it doesn't feel nice. However, I'm not racist, so the point doesn't really work for me. They would have been much better off finding some openly racist people to run the experiment on so they can experience this.

 

Interesting program shows how racism does not exist for prople not affected by it.

The world is full of racism ,as pointed out we in the west are taught it from a very early age both by the education system and parental influence.

Mind you not so sure its as damaging as classism which is rife throughout the world.

I mean if you want to get on in the world .?

Best to be born a white christian queen with a few billion in the bank and not a poor heathen black person from Benin.

Question:

Are you a better person than the pope.?

Earl

 

Seems little interest in the subject.

Earl

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

I think people are afraid of talking about such a taboo subject, especially when they're representing their businesses on here. Say one thing wrong and you'll get a backlash.

It's smart to discuss topics like this though. We can't just pretend racism isn't there, we have to tackle it.

 

Link for those that have not watched it.This Lady would eat Anne Robinson for breakfast

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-event-how-racist-are-you/4od#3005915

Earl

 

[cotc2001]

Haven't watched it yet (just about to) but on the topic of race.
I just clicked on "new posts" on the forum and saw one for Black Business of the year announcement.

Without opening a whole can of worms (which im probably going to). I've never got my head around why race is brought into awards or that things like this are segregated in general. I've never in my lifetime (and I hope never to) to see a White business of the year award or any other award which is partly based on the colour of your skin.

Am I being naive in that surely in this day and age , business is business regardless of anything else.

 

Haven't watched it yet (just about to) but on the topic of race.
I just clicked on "new posts" on the forum and saw one for Black Business of the year announcement.

Without opening a whole can of worms (which im probably going to). I've never got my head around why race is brought into awards or that things like this are segregated in general. I've never in my lifetime (and I hope never to) to see a White business of the year award or any other award which is partly based on the colour of your skin.

Am I being naive in that surely in this day and age , business is business regardless of anything else.

I suspect that white business man of the year would be ilegall.?:|

Earl

 

[Tej]

Haven't watched it yet (just about to) but on the topic of race.
I just clicked on "new posts" on the forum and saw one for Black Business of the year announcement.

Without opening a whole can of worms (which im probably going to). I've never got my head around why race is brought into awards or that things like this are segregated in general. I've never in my lifetime (and I hope never to) to see a White business of the year award or any other award which is partly based on the colour of your skin.

Am I being naive in that surely in this day and age , business is business regardless of anything else.

Yes.. I saw that too and was surprised. Guess the next thing will be Coloured Business of the year!!.. would that be considered a "Grey" area?..

Its really a load of tosh.. IMO

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

Haven't watched it yet (just about to) but on the topic of race.
I just clicked on "new posts" on the forum and saw one for Black Business of the year announcement.

Without opening a whole can of worms (which im probably going to). I've never got my head around why race is brought into awards or that things like this are segregated in general. I've never in my lifetime (and I hope never to) to see a White business of the year award or any other award which is partly based on the colour of your skin.

Am I being naive in that surely in this day and age , business is business regardless of anything else.

A lot of 'black' people go on about how they want to be treated equally and not be segregated, yet many of them segregate themselves by creating 'black only' awards, groups, events, TV channels and all sorts. If you want to remove discrimination and see everyone treated equally, you can't start things like that. It goes against the whole point.

I even have a TV channel on Freesat called BET, which stands for 'Black Entertainment Channel'.

It doesn't personally bother me at all, but I just wonder why such things are created.

 

[Rhyl Lightworks]

^^^^^^ In this case to make money.

More generally, there are arguments both for and against 'positive discrimination'.
For - it helps to redress the usually negative discrimination which minority groups (often correctly) feel.
Against - it introduces discrimation when such groups are trying to abolish it.

As usual I shall sit on the fence.

Barrie