Or perceived/assumed cultural differences, I should say (couldn’t fit it in title). Let’s say a person really likes certain towns or areas and really dislikes others. Over time, he or she begins to notice a correlation between these towns, their “vibes”, and the skin colors of their populations.
Let’s say, further, that competing factors like income, weather, etc. are ruled out as much as possible.
Would this person be racist? I realize that stereotypes and generalizations aren’t always true, but on the other hand, it seems foolhardy to deny at least a slight link between these factors – at least in the parts of the world that I’ve seen, especially in certain parts of America where multiple cultures seem to blend together on the surface only to coagulate into rather distinct racial groups upon further inspection.
Yes, it is racist. No, I don’t think it (by itself) is particularly wrong.
This is my mom’s brand of racism: “I’m not racist. I’ve had black friends and would love being neighbors with the Huxtables. I just hate rap music and sagging jeans and gold teeth and slang I can’t understand and big gawdy cars rattling my windows with their stero and blah blah blah…”
In other words, she doesn’t hate black people, just black culture. In fact, just this particular black culture. I heartily disagree with her, but I can’t say she’s morally wrong. She takes the time to know people as individuals and doesn’t dismiss them preemptively because of their skin color. But she sure as hell isn’t going to move to East St. Louis any time soon.
It all depends what you mean by “racist”. A technical definition would have it simply meaning, based on race. But it is almost impossible to strip the word of it’s distasteful connotations. Especially when so many people like to use it as a cudgel to punish those who they disagree with on a subject where race may be at play.
I like none of these things, either. How would that makes me a racist? Somehow, one has to equally appreciate everything, including obnoxious behaviour, in order not to be a racist?
Well, for one thing, the things I listed were only my mom’s stereotypical interpretation of what black culture is. But in general, yes; if you dislike black culture as a whole, and not just specific elements of it, I would consider that technically racist. It isn’t racist like Jim Crow, but still racist.
I think ethnocentric is really more the word you are looking for here, and ethnocentrism isn’t the same as racism.
Like racism ethnocentrism can be both bad and dangerous, but also like racism everyone’s a little bit ethnocentric and we really shouldn’t worry too too much about minor instances. It souds like the OP is talking about ethnocentrism as well, but it’s not quite clear.
But I would say no, the hypothetical in the OP is not racist.
As long as they don’t force me to listen to…um…okay, I can’t actually name any current rappers. But as long as I don’t have to constantly listen to hip-hop, I can’t see why I’d care.
I hate the same things your mom hates, plus I hate some of the types of religiosity and homophobia common in the black community. But I can give you a list just as long, of things in white culture(s) that I dislike. Hell, I was raised Jewish, and there are a whole lot of things in Jewish culture that I hate.
But I know I tend to be somewhat ethnocentric. My favorite travel destinations are either in the U.S./Canada, Australia or, especially, Europe (mostly Western Europe). With the exception of Egypt and a safari, I have no desire to visit Africa. And with the exception of ancient ruins, I have no desire to visit Latin America. And with a few exceptions, I have no desire to visit most of Asia. And I really don’t care for much ethnic or non-Western art or music.
(The big exception is food; I love all cuisines.)
So does that make me somewhat ethnocentric, or racist?
I agree. It’s all a question of semantics. Perhaps a better question would be “Generally speaking, is it morally wrong to prefer certain populations or places due to cultural differences?”