Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login
The scientific way to train white people to stop being racist (qz.com)
4 points by aryehof on April 12, 2016 | hide | past | favorite | 3 comments



The best way I've heard of to train people to not be racist is Jane Elliott's "Blue eyes–Brown eyes" exercise[1][2]. Some things have to be personally experienced, so this exercise uses eye-color as a proxy for race.

Carefully guided by the teacher, elementary school kids fall immediately into tribal in-group/out-group behavior. With just a few comments from the teacher, the kids invent their own reasons why their {blue,brown}-eyed classmates must be "inferior".

When asked twenty years later, most of the students specifically remembered the lesson and credited it as an important foundation for their later development.

[1] http://www.janeelliott.com/

[2] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/class-divided/


Part of "white privilege" is not having to give a shit about race. Race isn't a problem for white people, and there's nothing to be gained (but potentially much to lose) from them engaging in pre-loaded conversations about it. Live life, be happy, and shut the fuck up when your input isn't wanted.


"refers to white people’s low emotional tolerance for discussing topics of race and racism"

We can't really discuss race. As soon as we do and anything is brought into the discussion that does not conform to the current progressive narrative, we are called 'racist', shouted down, and ignored. This might have to do with the low 'tolerance' when discussing 'race'.

Having these discussions online with your name attached will most likely lead to your firing or a relentless group of 'activists' that go to your boss, your friends, or your co-workers and attempt to ruin your life. There are countless examples of this behavior happening in the last couple of years, all in the name of 'tolerance'.

Sorry, but this will never be discussed openly and honestly until we stop giving the online/offline bullies the power to ruin a person's life because they are unwilling to have an actual adult discussion and are offended by anything that goes against their own personal views.

'safe spaces' is a perfect example of this pervasive and destructive cultural shift.




Join us for AI Startup School this June 16-17 in San Francisco!

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: