CDZ The Beginning of Racism?

[Asclepias]

Found this quote by Aristotle and it conveys to me two things. Aristotle may have been the first racist and that he considered himself (a Greek) to be non-white. Could the Greeks have been the first racists despite their admission they learned much from the Egyptians?

"Too black a hue marks the coward, as witness Egyptians and Ethiopians, and so does also too white a complexion, as you may see from women. So the hue that makes for courage must be intermediate between these extremes. A tawny colour indicates a bold spirit, as in lions; but too ruddy a hue marks a rogue, as in the case of the fox. A pale mottled hue signifies cowardice, for that is the colour one turns in terror. "

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Yes.

Mods, close the thread, nothing to debate

 

[Asclepias]

Yes.

Mods, close the thread, nothing to debate

Why do you want the thread closed? Are you afraid of debate?

 

[Porker]

Found this quote by Aristotle and it conveys to me two things. Aristotle may have been the first racist and that he considered himself (a Greek) to be non-white. Could the Greeks have been the first racists despite their admission they learned much from the Egyptians?

Does it really effing matter? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[ScienceRocks]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

 

[Mac1958]

.

This obsession with skin color hurts everyone.

.

 

[jwoodie]

Well, I suppose racism has its earliest roots in tribalism, when various small groups of humans were competing for survival. Physical differences are a way of distinguishing "us" from "them."

 

[Asclepias]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

Not true. There has been tribalism or nationalism but this is the first instance I have ever seen of racism in the ancient world.

 

[Asclepias]

Well, I suppose racism has its earliest roots in tribalism, when various small groups of humans were competing for survival. Physical differences are a way of distinguishing "us" from "them."

There has always been tribalism. Most of that consisted of people that were of the same hue/skin color. For instance Egyptians and Nubians warred against each other but the Egyptians hated them.

 

[Porker]

Yes it effing matters. Thats why I posted it. If it bothers you then dont read it.

That's why this History US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum is available. Why don't you take it there baiter?

 

[jwoodie]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

Not true. There has been tribalism or nationalism but this is the first instance I have ever seen of racism in the ancient world.

I think you are referring to writings about early theories of genetic superiority as opposed to racial discrimination.

 

[Asclepias]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

Not true. There has been tribalism or nationalism but this is the first instance I have ever seen of racism in the ancient world.

I think you are referring to writings about early theories of genetic superiority as opposed to racial discrimination.

Thats exactly what racism and racial discrimination is based on.

 

[Nutz]

It could be an interesting conversation...too bad the contemporary racists won't allow an honest discussion of racism and hate. They just want to point their fingers and play the race card....blaming everyone else for playing the race card and calling anyone a racist who disagrees with them.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

Not true. There has been tribalism or nationalism but this is the first instance I have ever seen of racism in the ancient world.

And yet when you look at ancient Egyptian murals they were clearly a multiracial society where there was no clear class distinction according to skin color. Pharaoh Ptolemy was Greek as were his descendants.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Yes it effing matters. Thats why I posted it. If it bothers you then dont read it.

That's why this History US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum is available. Why don't you take it there baiter?

Why is that? So that you won't be penalized for hurling insults?

 

[Asclepias]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

Not true. There has been tribalism or nationalism but this is the first instance I have ever seen of racism in the ancient world.

And yet when you look at ancient Egyptian murals they were clearly a multiracial society where there was no clear class distinction according to skin color. Pharaoh Ptolemy was Greek as were his descendants.

Pharaoh Ptolemy was not considered ancient Egypt. He came into power after the Greeks had invaded Egypt 332 BC and after Aristotle had spent 20 years studying in Egypt. its weird how Aristotle gives credit to the Egyptians for founding math but calls them cowards for being Black. I guess the two are not mutual exclusive.

"Hence when all such inventions were already established, the sciences which do not aim at giving pleasure or at the necessities of life were discovered, and first in the places where men first began to have leisure. This is why the mathematical arts were founded in Egypt; for there the priestly caste was allowed to be at leisure."
--Aristotle

I think ancient Egyptian society was predominantly Black and later became more of what used to be called mulatto. When Herodotus was in Egypt (450 BC) he said as plain as day the Egyptians were Black.

"There can be no doubt that the Colchians are an Egyptian race. Before I heard any mention of the fact from others, I had remarked it myself. After the thought had struck me, I made inquiries on the subject both in Colchis and in Egypt, and I found that the Colchians had a more distinct recollection of the Egyptians, than the Egyptians had of them. Still the Egyptians said that they believed the Colchians to be descended from the army of Sesostris. My own conjectures were founded, first, on the fact that they are black-skinned and have woolly hair, which certainly amounts to but little, since several other nations are so too; but further and more especially, on the circumstance that the Colchians, the Egyptians, and the Ethiopians, are the only nations who have practised circumcision from the earliest times."

 

[Nutz]

What historical event occured that he would call all blacks cowards? Serious question...what was the root cause for his racism?

 

[NLT]

racism is part of human nature, you will never stop it.

 

[Derideo_Te]

Since the dawn of humanity there has always been racism. Humans naturally prefer their own people.

Not true. There has been tribalism or nationalism but this is the first instance I have ever seen of racism in the ancient world.

And yet when you look at ancient Egyptian murals they were clearly a multiracial society where there was no clear class distinction according to skin color. Pharaoh Ptolemy was Greek as were his descendants.

Pharaoh Ptolemy was not considered ancient Egypt. He came into power after the Greeks had invaded Egypt 332 BC and after Aristotle had spent 20 years studying in Egypt. its weird how Aristotle gives credit to the Egyptians for founding math but calls them cowards for being Black. I guess the two are not mutual exclusive.

"Hence when all such inventions were already established, the sciences which do not aim at giving pleasure or at the necessities of life were discovered, and first in the places where men first began to have leisure. This is why the mathematical arts were founded in Egypt; for there the priestly caste was allowed to be at leisure."
--Aristotle

I think ancient Egyptian society was predominantly Black and later became more of what used to be called mulatto.

I haven't done any research into which of the kingdoms that random sample came from but I suspect that you are right that Egypt began as predominantly black and as more and more people were attracted to the civilization the demographics altered just as they are changing here today.

 

[Asclepias]

What historical event occured that he would call all blacks cowards? Serious question...what was the root cause for his racism?

I wonder if it could have been political since the Greeks invaded 10 years before Aristotle died?