tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post1208841680289896565..comments2024-01-28T08:54:32.914-06:00Comments on That's interesting...: The color-blind societyBill Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08552459555883204060noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post-25701727585142544192012-04-11T16:52:54.904-05:002012-04-11T16:52:54.904-05:00Cinnamonbite, FYI, I elaborated a little more on m...Cinnamonbite, FYI, I elaborated a little more on my reply in <a href="http://garthright.blogspot.com/2012/04/color-blind-society-part-2.html" rel="nofollow">Part 2</a>.<br /><br />Unfortunately, that's going to mean I'll need a Part 3 to finish this up. :)Bill Garthrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552459555883204060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post-13011229399004016332012-04-10T22:55:54.999-05:002012-04-10T22:55:54.999-05:00What if? You didn't finish your thought, Cinna...What if? You didn't finish your thought, Cinnamonbite. Yeah, it would be nice if that were the case, but what's your point?<br /><br />Anyway, those stories weren't about individuals, but were allegories of society. Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery and became a famous author and orator. But that doesn't mean that slavery was OK, because slaves could occasionally escape and overcome terrible prejudice to succeed.<br /><br />Or look at it in another way. Poverty is associated with crime. If you grow up poor, you're far more likely to turn to crime than if you grow up wealthy. But that doesn't give anyone an excuse for committing crimes, just because they grew up poor.<br /><br />You see the difference? Society makes a huge difference in crime rates, teen pregnancy, and a host of other issues. But individuals still have a choice. It's not one or the other. You need to take control of your personal life. But if we want to improve lives, we still need to talk about society.<br /><br />Re. your comment about "rich white guilt," you'll have to explain that. Perhaps you equate a dislike of racism with guilt? I'd say it's more likely to be empathy, or just ethics and morality. And none of those are reasons for sympathy.<br /><br />In fact, you have <i>my</i> sympathy if you lack them.Bill Garthrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552459555883204060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post-78162416701356830152012-04-10T18:24:16.315-05:002012-04-10T18:24:16.315-05:00What if all of society went to the same government...What if all of society went to the same government run free public schools and every single person had the exact same choice and chance to do better for themselves than their parents did for themselves? <br />There was no one hitting anyone over the head with rocks or keeping anyone else from succeeding, just some kids didn't have a lot of interest in reading or learning and didn't apply themselves while other kids took their education to heart, wanted to be something in the future and worked hard. Some kids even worked harder than everyone else, did more than the teachers expected of them. <br />And oddly, when all these kids grew up, some of them were worthless and landed in jail or on welfare and some of those kids moved quickly up the corporate ladder and into great careers and lives. <br />And it doesn't matter what color anyone's skin is because blaming others for your own poor choices is a juvenile lie you tell yourself. <br /><br />I grew up dirt poor so I just don't suffer from any of that rich white guilt so many people labor under in their adult lives. You have my sympathies though.Cinnamonbitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18220923744709042280noreply@blogger.com