A Shameful World of Colour Consciousness That Birthed Mindless Racism

Colour consciousness has long been a burden on humanity, leading to misguided conclusions based solely on outward appearance while ignoring the deeper human truths that lie beneath. This obsession with skin colour has come at a high cost, fuelling mindless racism.

Racism is not limited to individual prejudice; it is a systemic issue deeply embedded within institutions and government departments, with far-reaching effects on society. This structural discrimination, rooted in historical distortions, continues to manifest in various sectors, impacting marginalised communities both practically and psychologically.

Its legacy is felt in persistent inequities across healthcare, education, and justice, subtly reinforcing disadvantage and shaping self-perception in ways that can undermine confidence and well-being.

A distorted evolutionary idea, popularised by 19th century British naturalist, Charles Darwin, contributed greatly to the false notion of light-skinned superiority and dark-skinned inferiority, a misconception that perpetuated division and discrimination

To address systemic racism requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges these deep-seated patterns and prioritise equity and healing.

Teaching Children of Navigate the Maze of Race

Race has been made into a complex issue, though it need not be. Unfortunately, children often grow up surrounded by prejudice, not because they are born with it, but because society introduces confusion and bias into their upbringing. At times they end up not wanting to go to school for fear of being verbally or physically attacked.

Yet all is not lost. Even if the opportunity to instil anti-racist values in childhood is missed, there is always a chance to teach people that skin pigmentation is not and should not be a reason to love or hate another human being.

Skin colour is determined by the amount of melanin in our bodies – the more melanin, the darker the skin, the less melanin, the lighter the skin. This simple biological fact has no bearing on intelligence, potential, or worth as each race has its share of remarkable individuals.

Bobbi Jane Kates, author of children’s books, coined a beautifully thought title, ‘We’re Different, We’re the Same, We’re Wonderful’. If such an idea and others similar could be embraced universally, children would grow up to reject racism and appreciate the shared humanity in our difference.

Racism’s Cold-Bloodedness Requires No Anger to Act

Racism is not limited to conflicts between black and white. It exists in many shades, as people of different races and ethnicities continually engage in conflict, rooted in skin colour. Although the black and white racial divide often dominates headlines, these tensions persist globally.

In the United States, white police officers have on numerous occasions shot and killed black people in racially motivated incidents, sometimes without provocation. South Africa has witnessed its own racial violence. including a case where a white farmer shot and injured his worker, claiming he mistook him for a baboon. Would he have shot if it were a baboon? The likelihood seems doubtful.

In another incident another farm owner shot a man and said he thought it was a dog. How ridiculous!

These incidents are no doubt driven by skin colour and echo the instinctual battles between lions and hyenas – natural enemies who fight on sight. For these beasts, violence is a survival instinct. But for modern man, with a capacity to reason and reflect, such brutality is inexcusable.

Unlike animals, we possess the ability to assess the damage and choose reconciliation over destruction.

The Failure to Learn from the Past

Perpetrators of mindless racism often stubbornly cling to their views, failing to learn from the lessons of history. But without acknowledging the past, true progress cannot be achieved in trying to address racial issues. Humanity is meant to rise above base instincts to use its gift of reason to find common ground.

Fixating on an unchangeable trait – skin colour – has deepened the roots of racism, allowing other toxic behaviours to flourish. This obsession with skin colour borders on abnormality, and the cruelty it breeds blinds people to their own humanity.

As the late Maya Angelou wrote, “Hate has caused a lot of problems, but it has not solved one yet”. Holding on to wasteful emotions like anger, bitterness, and hatred only weighs us down and steals precious time we could use to uplift one another.

Similarly, political activist, Angela Davis, reminds us that “it is not enough to be non-racist; we have to be anti-racist”. It is not enough to abstain from hateful behaviour, we must actively oppose it in all forms.

Conclusion

An obsession with skin colour has diverted humanity from the far more important task of seeing each other as equals. By teaching children to reject racism, holding ourselves accountable for the mistakes of the past and actively fighting against discrimination, we can begin to dismantle the harmful structures that keep us divided. Our ability to reason, reflect, and change is what sets us apart from animals – and it is this ability that we must embrace to heal from the deep wounds of racism and create a world where all are truly equal.