People from many different backgrounds are mixing together and if this keeps up do you think there will be only one human race? Will the elimination of different facial features and skin color really end discrimination or racism? Or is racism based more on national origin? How long do you think it will take for all humans to be members of the same race and what will this new "superhuman" look like? What do you think?
Will Humans Eventually Be The Same Race?
- Thread starter Kane
- Start date
I think humanity will destroy itself first or be destroyed. Assuming that the human race will live on for countless thousands of years, I still don't think we will be "one" race. If nothing else, as humans begin to interracially mate and merge features over the centuries, other factors in region specific factors will slowly bring distinct features in other humans. The humans on Earth may slowly start to look different than humans on Mars, or the ones growing up on a space station, or a station under the sea.
Unless there is a sharp decrease in the human popluation, I think the human popluation is too large to totally merge all features as well.
Unless there is a sharp decrease in the human popluation, I think the human popluation is too large to totally merge all features as well.
BlackCatBonz
Master Black Belt
even if it does......there will always be class discrimination. lots of that going on right now.
hemi
Purple Belt
Well given what we do know of our universe to date, humans will at some point be forced to leave Earth due to many factors. The biggest being that the sun in our solar system has a life span and at some point its life will end. I have to believe that by that time we will have colonized Mars. People living on Mars may look different and have other abilities than those on Earth. But as the life of the sun ends we would have to leave this solar system to find a new star (sun) being that stars are so far away humans as we are today could not make at trip into space that would take hundred or thousands of years just to reach the destination. We would be forced to use other means such as genetic mutation to change human DNA and adapt our bodies to undertake such a trip. In doing that we will have changed one race of humans and as time goes on at this other planet there is no telling what kind of changes would take place. Factors like gravity, atmosphere, and temp would play a key role in how we would be forced to change just to survive.
I would like to think that as time goes on and the Human race as a hole matures and undergoes radical changes discrimination, hate, war, and many other flaws that we face today will end.
I would like to think that as time goes on and the Human race as a hole matures and undergoes radical changes discrimination, hate, war, and many other flaws that we face today will end.
We are the same species, but some taxonomists have split us into different sub-species. This is highly controversial...yet there is a little bit of observation that supports the distinction.
Looking at it from a taxonomic perspective, I can say that as the sub-species interbreed, one can expect a general reversal of the subspeciation that occured when homo sapians spread into various parts of the world.
In the future, humans will have much less morphologic difference due to the lack of isolation.
Looking at it from a taxonomic perspective, I can say that as the sub-species interbreed, one can expect a general reversal of the subspeciation that occured when homo sapians spread into various parts of the world.
In the future, humans will have much less morphologic difference due to the lack of isolation.
I don't think our species will live to see that day. However, if conditions were ideal for the continuation of the species, I think we would all eventually look a bit like either Hale Berry or a VERY tan Sheryl Crow only taller and meatier.Kane said:
There will always be cultural dysfunction and international controversy - even if the entire globe became one political entity (which it very may well be right now and we haven't been informed).
At least in the US there is probably less cultural biases against mixing races than there was 100, 50, or even 25 years ago, but those prejudices are still there and they exist in many other cultures. I don't believe that those prejudices will be overcome and a racial homogenization occur before the species ends or we start colonizing beyond the solar system and a new differences occur naturally or are genetically designed.
I must say that I would look forward to a world where we all look like versions of Halle Berry.
Lamont
I must say that I would look forward to a world where we all look like versions of Halle Berry.
Lamont
I'd guess the same. Yet, as we know, there will always be individual variations...they just won't be identified as 'race' anymore.upnorthkyosa said:
I see race per se disappearing, but in the looooooong run...as long as China maintains its current governmental policies, for example, the rate of mixing will remain low.
As to looking like Halle Berry...I was kinda hoping for Brad Pitt, but I'll take what I can get. It'd still be an improvement for me.
T
TonyM.
Guest
We started out as the same race. We all carry the same markers as the San people. It's located on different parts of the chain as people migrated further from Africa. The San are being systematically exterminated as more diamonds and gold are discovered in south africa and namibia. The San are being pushed further into the kalahari. They are not a desert people and are suffering horribly. It seems as a people we have forgotten "Honor thy Mother and Father".
okinawagojuryu
Green Belt
I know I am doing my part to try to make this happen , & loving every bit of it !
Blidside wrote " I must say that I would look forward to a world where we all look like versions of Halle Berry."
I 2nd that , only in my dreams , only in my dreams .
A while ago I seen a movie that was taken place many yrs into the future , where we all are of the same race . Some very beautiful people . I would love to see that happen in my lifetime , & end this madness .
David
Blidside wrote " I must say that I would look forward to a world where we all look like versions of Halle Berry."
I 2nd that , only in my dreams , only in my dreams .
A while ago I seen a movie that was taken place many yrs into the future , where we all are of the same race . Some very beautiful people . I would love to see that happen in my lifetime , & end this madness .
David
Shizen Shigoku
Purple Belt
Short answer: Maybe.
Long answer:
Inter-racial 'mingling' does lead to more homogeneity, but the factors that caused different races in the first place don't go away, so over the long term, as long as people are living in different places and isolate themselves to some degree, they are going to acquire differences, so it will balance out to a point.
I would imagine that there would be less racial diversity over time, but not to a point of one race (as we're defining it here). The fact is that differences in language, culture, geography, education, & social class (and/or wealth) weigh in much more heavily in our dealings with eachother as human beings than racial differences.
It might turn out that we all become racially 'color-blind' to such petty differences before we all homogenize into grey melting-pot clones.
Or at least that's what I hope.
Kane : "Will the elimination of different facial features and skin color really end discrimination or racism?"
My pessimistic view is that if the human race lost superficial ethnic differences to use as an excuse to mistreat one another, they would find something else to use as an excuse. (Shu2jack : "I think humanity will destroy itself first or be destroyed." - also likely given current trends)
"Or is racism based more on national origin?"
Depends on the brand of racism or other bigotry that a person subscibes to, and that depends on that person's own level of ignorance, which itself depends on self-imposed isolation (physically or mentally).
I think at the core, people are naturally distrustful or at least cautious about things that are different from themselves. It is an automatic self-defense response. It isn't always rational, but rationality depends on having information. When that information isn't there, we default to fear of the unknown.
Therefore, racism is more like a phobia - an irrational fear caused by ignorance and reinforced by strong emotional response.
2004hemi: "Well given what we do know of our universe to date, humans will at some point be forced to leave Earth due to many factors.
The biggest being that the sun in our solar system has a life span and at some point its life will end."
Given the estimates and probabilities I've seen, I think we are more likely to be wiped out by a serious of asteroid impacts and global-climate change than we are from the sun blowing up (which isn't likely to happen for another 5 billion years - slightly longer than life itself as we know it has existed on this planet.
"People living on Mars may look different and have other abilities than those on Earth."
Yeah, think of how much higher you can jump with less gravity! Wee! Less strain on the spine too - people will probably be taller.
"But as the life of the sun ends we would have to leave this solar system to find a new star (sun) being that stars are so far away humans as we are today could not make at trip into space that would take hundred or thousands of years just to reach the destination."
Accelerating at the same rate as earthly gravity, the speed of light can be reached in about a year. To conserve fuel, and to avoid nasty relativistic effects, I would recommend turning off the engines at around half the speed of light. At that speed, we could reach the next-nearest star in under ten years.
"... the Human race as a hole ..."
That's poetic.
"... matures and undergoes radical changes discrimination, hate, war, and many other flaws that we face today will end."
Yeah, "radical changes" like acquiring intelligence, being reasonable, having more courage, encouraging more logical, rational thinking as opposed to emotionally-induced violent outbursts...
I don't think we simple animals are up to the task. I guess we just have to wait for the Borg to assimilate us.
Kenpodoc: "We are the same race."
See, it's that irony that makes the whole idea funny. Or at least it would be funny if it weren't so tragic and disgusting.
shesulsa: "...even if the entire globe became one political entity (which it very may well be right now and we haven't been informed)."
What, you didn't get the memo?
Long answer:
Inter-racial 'mingling' does lead to more homogeneity, but the factors that caused different races in the first place don't go away, so over the long term, as long as people are living in different places and isolate themselves to some degree, they are going to acquire differences, so it will balance out to a point.
I would imagine that there would be less racial diversity over time, but not to a point of one race (as we're defining it here). The fact is that differences in language, culture, geography, education, & social class (and/or wealth) weigh in much more heavily in our dealings with eachother as human beings than racial differences.
It might turn out that we all become racially 'color-blind' to such petty differences before we all homogenize into grey melting-pot clones.
Or at least that's what I hope.
Kane : "Will the elimination of different facial features and skin color really end discrimination or racism?"
My pessimistic view is that if the human race lost superficial ethnic differences to use as an excuse to mistreat one another, they would find something else to use as an excuse. (Shu2jack : "I think humanity will destroy itself first or be destroyed." - also likely given current trends)
"Or is racism based more on national origin?"
Depends on the brand of racism or other bigotry that a person subscibes to, and that depends on that person's own level of ignorance, which itself depends on self-imposed isolation (physically or mentally).
I think at the core, people are naturally distrustful or at least cautious about things that are different from themselves. It is an automatic self-defense response. It isn't always rational, but rationality depends on having information. When that information isn't there, we default to fear of the unknown.
Therefore, racism is more like a phobia - an irrational fear caused by ignorance and reinforced by strong emotional response.
2004hemi: "Well given what we do know of our universe to date, humans will at some point be forced to leave Earth due to many factors.
The biggest being that the sun in our solar system has a life span and at some point its life will end."
Given the estimates and probabilities I've seen, I think we are more likely to be wiped out by a serious of asteroid impacts and global-climate change than we are from the sun blowing up (which isn't likely to happen for another 5 billion years - slightly longer than life itself as we know it has existed on this planet.
"People living on Mars may look different and have other abilities than those on Earth."
Yeah, think of how much higher you can jump with less gravity! Wee! Less strain on the spine too - people will probably be taller.
"But as the life of the sun ends we would have to leave this solar system to find a new star (sun) being that stars are so far away humans as we are today could not make at trip into space that would take hundred or thousands of years just to reach the destination."
Accelerating at the same rate as earthly gravity, the speed of light can be reached in about a year. To conserve fuel, and to avoid nasty relativistic effects, I would recommend turning off the engines at around half the speed of light. At that speed, we could reach the next-nearest star in under ten years.
"... the Human race as a hole ..."
That's poetic.
"... matures and undergoes radical changes discrimination, hate, war, and many other flaws that we face today will end."
Yeah, "radical changes" like acquiring intelligence, being reasonable, having more courage, encouraging more logical, rational thinking as opposed to emotionally-induced violent outbursts...
I don't think we simple animals are up to the task. I guess we just have to wait for the Borg to assimilate us.
Kenpodoc: "We are the same race."
See, it's that irony that makes the whole idea funny. Or at least it would be funny if it weren't so tragic and disgusting.
shesulsa: "...even if the entire globe became one political entity (which it very may well be right now and we haven't been informed)."
What, you didn't get the memo?
I agree with the sad belief that, no matter how homogeneous the species may become, there will always be something to seperate the social strata. As a species, we categorize and pigeonhole everything, especially ourselves.
'We need someone to talk to and someone to sweep the floors' - Distant Early Warning - Neil Peart
egg
'We need someone to talk to and someone to sweep the floors' - Distant Early Warning - Neil Peart
egg
Martial Tucker
Black Belt
OnlyAnEgg said:
Agreed.......Remember "Lord of the Flies"?
Define race...
There are a million ways to define race. There a philosophers who debate about the word race all the time.
As for people all looking the same. NO. Unless of course you wipe out vast parts of the population.
I suppose that racism would end if race ended. Of course I'm assuming you are using race to inicated skin color and features. But there will allways be people who judge other cultures or subcultures as inferior. This is part of humanity.
There are a million ways to define race. There a philosophers who debate about the word race all the time.
As for people all looking the same. NO. Unless of course you wipe out vast parts of the population.
I suppose that racism would end if race ended. Of course I'm assuming you are using race to inicated skin color and features. But there will allways be people who judge other cultures or subcultures as inferior. This is part of humanity.
I continue to maintain that race is an extremely artificial distinction. We do have familial lineages which carry useful information but race as it is generally defined is both political and racist but not useful. If I tell you that someone is caucasian you have no useful information physically or genetically. You can't even tell me if they are light skinned or dark skinned. We need to quit dwelling on race.
Jeff
Jeff
Martial Tucker
Black Belt
Race is just another way of defining someone else as being somehow "different from us"....and therein lies the problem, at least for those who are somehow uncomfortable with themselves.Kenpodoc said:
