One purpose of this series of essays is to reveal the absurdity of human behavior. Our worldview, our story, if you will, has us believing in a number of so-called “facts” that have no basis in reality. The inanity of these beliefs is compounded when we come to realize that they are the source of much human pain and suffering. Take, for example, the “fact” of race which is the source of human behaviors described as “racial prejudice” and “racism.”
Our identity as Americans is based on our beliefs, attitudes and values. Those of us who use race as a rationale to express hatred and violence are engaging in self-destructive behavior which means the illusion of race is literally killing us. “Perceptions of discrimination consistently predicted slower declines in cortisol level throughout the day, which is associated with obesity, depression, decreased immune function, cancer and death.” (1)
We all suffer from the effects of racism, bigotry, sexism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and homophobia all based on beliefs that have no basis in reality. These behaviors, as it turns out, are literally creating a “diseased” society. “More than 700 studies on the link between discrimination and health have been published since 2000. This body of work establishes a connection between discrimination and physical and mental well-being. With all these effects, it is no wonder that more than 100,000 black people die prematurely each year.” (1)
We can never create a sustainable human community with delusional beliefs, attitudes and values. To get the “facts” on race click on the link below.
Insight # 80: Race is not a biological reality at all: It is nothing more than a social, cultural and political invention. – David Chandler (2)
Link:
- Race, essay found in The ABCs of Simple Reality, Vol I (2018), by Roy Charles Henry, page 141.
References:
- Jacobs, Douglas. “Less Racism, Doctor’s Orders.” The New York Times Sunday. November 12, 2017, page 9.
- Chandler, David L. “‘Race’ Biologically unreal.” The Denver Post. May 15, 1997, (no page #).
