4 Reasons People Become Racists And How To Fix Them
Because yes, sometimes they can still change
I have been studying the social construct of racism for several years now. I’m not sure that I would have taken this path had I not being black or had I not being interested in sociology — the study of social life, social change, and the consequences of human behavior. I study racism because it affects my day-to-day and those of the people I love. I can directly relate my and their experiences to my research and observations almost in real-time.
I’ve always wanted to understand why people become racist. Because the fact is, no one is actually born racist. Babies come into the world with a clean slate, but somewhere along the line, as socialization occurs, some develop racist tendencies or become full-blown racists. In many cases, yes, the parents, extended family, and friends are to blame, but in others, specific experiences contribute to making a person become racist.
As a sociologist, I have studied these factors in-depth — especially the intersection of how media — whether it be traditional media and now more social media, play a role in instigating and promoting racism in society as we know it. For this article, let me attempt to answer this question as to why people become racist and how to fix them.
