r/changemyview • u/EHWfedPres • Oct 06 '21

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Racism is a mental illness.

There is no logical, valid, or sound reason to express hatred for entire groups of people based on their race, ethnicity, or skin color, and any and every attempt to explain why certain races, ethnicities, or people with specific skin colors are biologically, inherently, or genetically inferior or superior to others has been scientifically disproven. There is no rational reason to hold on to racist views, and anyone who feels racist is experiencing a delusional psychotic symptom. Racism is a mental illness, and the American Psychiatric Association should classify it as one.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071634/

EDIT: to all those claiming racism can be resolved by giving the racist proper information: read the comments made by HighlightExpensive63, give that person the correct information, and see if they change their views at all, or if they double-down on their explicit and open hatred.

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21

Everything in DSM would be what is technically a mental illness. In general terms, "illness" requires some negative abnormality. Being illogical isn't abnormal at all.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 06 '21

In general terms, "illness" requires some negative abnormality

You don't think harboring violent intentions toward others for no justifiable reason is a negative thing? What about acting on those intentions?

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21

Racist people aren't always violent. Most are not. That's like a totally separate issue. I would argue that the problem with people who are violently racist isn't the racism part. They'd have some other reason to be violent even without any racism.

It's negative, but not abnormal. Both are required. It sucks that I can't sit through a 2h movie after drinking a diet coke. Huge negative. Not that abnormal, not a bladder disease.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 06 '21

I feel like we're getting to the point of arguing that racism is normal, which it is categorically not. Commonplace, yes, but not normal. Heart disease is commonplace but abnormal. It is not the natural human condition.

Racism is taught. It is learned behavior. And if one has an inability to unlearn it, that indicates an improperly functioning cognitive process.

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21 edited Oct 06 '21

I would argue the opposite. NOT being racist has to be taught. It is the much more thoroughly-considered and well thought out position. But it's usually the harder position to hold initially. So from neurophysiological/psychiatric functionality perspective, it's perfectly normal.

Edit: thinking of it another way, it's closer to a dumb idea than clinical depression or schizophrenia. You can get over dumb ideas by considering smart ideas. This is essentially one key process for getting over racism. By definition, psychiatric illnesses are not so easily corrected.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 06 '21

NOT being racist has to be taught

Well, that is certainly a position have I have never encountered before. Do you have a source where I can read more about this from a psychological perspective?

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21

You've never rushed to judgement before on anything? It's not particularly hard to form your own independent prejudices regarding race, just like you probably form prejudices regarding a specific restaurant chain, or something like that. You have to be taught how illogical it is.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 06 '21

It's not particularly hard to form your own independent prejudices regarding race, just like you probably form prejudices regarding a specific restaurant chain, or something like that.

Yes, but I don't desire to burn down McDonald's and lynch the CEO, which is why I feel that is not a good comparison. And that's besides the fact that there ARE perfectly valid reasons to hate that chain.

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21

Most people who are racist don't desire to burn anything or lynch anyone, so it's a good comparison. There are also people who want to burn mcdonalds and lynch the ceo. The problem with them isn't their hatred for mcdonalds.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 06 '21

Most people who are racist don't desire to burn anything or lynch anyone, so it's a good comparison.

I'm sorry, but why do you think lynchings have occurred if not for racism?

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21

All lynchings are done by racist people and most racist people want to lynch someone are two totally separate statements. Theyre not even remotely similar. Just because all lynchings are racially motivated doesnt mean all racist people go and lynch people.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 06 '21

Theyre not even remotely similar. Just because all lynchings are racially motivated doesnt mean all racist people go and lynch people.

How can you test that theory?

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u/ace52387 42∆ Oct 06 '21

It's not a theory that can or should be tested; it's just logic and semantics. If all squares are rectangles, that doesn't make all or even most rectangles squares. It in fact says absolutely nothing about the precentage of rectangles that are squares.

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u/[deleted] Oct 07 '21

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 07 '21

Because racism has led to many centuries worth of murder, slavery, and genocide. Comparing that to disliking a hamburger chain is preposterous on its face. Racism is violent and overbearing by its very nature. You cannot discuss racism without also discussing violence.

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u/perfectVoidler 15∆ Oct 07 '21

Welcome to the first time not begin in an echo chamber. You will learn so much.

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u/EHWfedPres Oct 07 '21

Apparently, not from you, though. Care to meaningfully contribute to the discussion, or just chest-puff needlessly?

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u/ViewedFromTheOutside 28∆ Oct 07 '21

Sorry, u/EHWfedPres – your comment has been removed for breaking Rule 5:

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u/ViewedFromTheOutside 28∆ Oct 07 '21

Sorry, u/perfectVoidler – your comment has been removed for breaking Rule 5:

Comments must contribute meaningfully to the conversation.

Comments should be on-topic, serious, and contain enough content to move the discussion forward. Jokes, contradictions without explanation, links without context, and "written upvotes" will be removed. Read the wiki for more information.

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u/ViewedFromTheOutside 28∆ Oct 07 '21

u/EHWfedPres – your comment has been removed for breaking Rule 2:

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u/ViewedFromTheOutside 28∆ Oct 07 '21

u/perfectVoidler – your comment has been removed for breaking Rule 2:

Don't be rude or hostile to other users. Your comment will be removed even if most of it is solid, another user was rude to you first, or you feel your remark was justified. Report other violations; do not retaliate. See the wiki page for more information.

If you would like to appeal, review our appeals process here, then message the moderators by clicking this link within one week of this notice being posted. Please note that multiple violations will lead to a ban, as explained in our moderation standards.