# Thought experiment for white people regarding race. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652 "2011-07-20T00:50:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/41 "2011-07-20T12:55:01Z")
What about the rest of us who are neither black nor white? Do we just joyfully leap down the street, since crime never happens to us? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/42 "2011-07-20T13:18:26Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > AFAIK it’s a statistical and biological fact that men are indeed more likely to attack someone Biological fact? Can’t we just say it’s statistically more likely? What biological fact compels me (a man) to attack? ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/43 "2011-07-20T13:33:48Z")
This is a stupid question. There’s no way to answer this because just saying 5 white guys or 5 black guys, I wouldn’t want to meet either group. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/44 "2011-07-20T14:58:01Z")
I encounter 5 males on a dark street - yes, all else being equal I would feel slightly more comfortable if they were the same race as me. Are you happy now? ---
**Author:** ![RaleighRally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RaleighRally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaleighRally)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/45 "2011-07-20T15:44:05Z")
Crime is only about socioeconomic factors. Race is completely irrelevant. Stupid OP. I would much rather be mugged by poor blacks who need my money. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/46 "2011-07-20T15:57:58Z")
> [@Who\_me\_1](#): > > This is a stupid question. There’s no way to answer this because just saying 5 white guys or 5 black guys, I wouldn’t want to meet either group. There’s another reason this is a stupid question. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/47 "2011-07-20T16:29:47Z")
If I started to go down a dark alley and saw a group of people just hanging around down the alley aways I’m turning around and finding a different route down streets with lights. But if for some magical reason I have to go down this alley then I would prefer thugs of my own race. As Patrice O’Neal said, (paraphrased), I’d rather be alive and thought of as a racist than be dead and feel good about myself as I’m dying thinking, “Well at least these people killing me can’t think of me as a racist.” ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/48 "2011-07-20T16:41:12Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > If they encounter me in a dark alley, as posited by the OP, then **yes** > > If they encounter me in a dark alley, as posited by the OP, then **yes** Where does the lighting enter into it? Do have statistics showing that men are less violent in the daytime than the night time? Lighting is an environmental factor. It’s got nothing to do with the statistics regarding relative violence between men & women or blacks & whites. > [@Koxinga](#): > > > [@Merneith](#): > > > > Or the contrary - is it safe to assume that group of women won’t hurt you, since statistically, that’s pretty unlikely? > > Do you realize that’s a tautology? No, it would only be a tautology if you could be certain that a group of women wouldn’t hurt you. Since you can’t be certain of that, judged solely on the fact that they’re women, it’s not a safe assumption. A women, or group of women, may be less likely to hurt you than a man - doesn’t mean you can assume she won’t. > [@Koxinga](#): > > In certain circumstances, why not? Stereotypically, a person who has never graduated from high school will not know how to design a rocket engine. Unless he or she brings me overwhelming evidence to the contrary, I feel safe in assuming that I shouldn’t hire that person to be my personal rocket engineer. A person graduating (or not) from high school is a behavior, unlike skin color, which is an inherited trait which is not indicative of behavior, actions or knowledge. Judging a person by their individual behavior or specific actions is different than judging them on nothing but a stereotype. > [@Der Tris](#): > > No, they say that men and women are dangerous in different ways under different circumstances. Women are much less likely to attack a stranger, both genders are equally likely to engage in domestic violence, women are more likely to poison people or torture (as opposed to molest) children. Who is this “they” of whom you speak? At any rate, my point is that one can’t assume that a gang of women _won’t_ attack a stranger just because, as you say, they are much less likely to do so. The generalization - or even the math - that women are more passive and less violent is not useful when it comes to predicting the behavior of specific individuals, especially if we factor out environmental and behavioral cues specific to the encounter with the individual ne’er-do-wells in question. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/49 "2011-07-20T16:41:41Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > What about the rest of us who are neither black nor white? Do we just joyfully leap down the street, since crime never happens to us? No, we get mugged by _everybody_. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/50 "2011-07-20T17:27:25Z")
Some folks are making a statistical error, here. Yes, black folks disproportionately commit more crimes than white folks, but that’s not relevant here. Folks walking down dark alleys at night are also disproportionately likely to commit crimes. But, given that we already know that the mysterious strangers are walking down dark alleys at night, are they more likely to commit crimes if they’re white or black? I don’t think we have statistics on that. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/51 "2011-07-20T17:37:03Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > whereas they would likely feel considerable apprehension if they were to happen upon a group of black guys who look like [this](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f0bvyZMrZ9k/TUHvtjy6sJI/AAAAAAAAGGM/maRREYwNBac/s1600/thugs.jpg). Aside from the hats, that could be half the guys I work with on casual friday. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/52 "2011-07-20T17:43:15Z")
In an actual answer to the OP, I personally am less scared of the people who are in the majority in the neighborhood. Five black guys in an alley in a black neighborhood have a better chance of being knuckleheads shooting dice in a convenient public spot, whereas the whites in a black majority neighborhood are more likely to be looking for drugs and/or trouble. Or we could go with what The Wire teaches us, that the people we should REALLY be afraid of are the guys with badges. =P ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/53 "2011-07-20T17:51:08Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Would you prefere to meet a group of 5 caucasian males or a group of 5 african-american males. I’d prefer to meet a group of 5 Asian females. But I’m not judging your lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/54 "2011-07-20T18:08:00Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Who is this “they” of whom you speak? Statistics, since that’s what was mentioned in the post I was replying to. > [@Chronos](#): > > Some folks are making a statistical error, here. Yes, black folks disproportionately commit more crimes than white folks, but that’s not relevant here. And that assumes it’s true, and that blacks aren’t just being _arrested_ more. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/55 "2011-07-21T00:45:13Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > I’d prefer to meet a group of 5 Asian females. You mean like [this](http://www.kungfucinema.com/review-chai-lai-angels-dangerous-flowers-2006-12265)? ---
**Author:** ![Chen019](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@Chen019](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chen019)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/56 "2011-07-21T01:30:44Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No preference. If five guys are hanging out in a dark alley, the reason they’re there is likely equally dodgy regardless of color. Anyway, why am I walking through a dark alley unless I’m looking to score? My man! 🙂 I hope you don’t set insurance premiums 🙂 Jesse Jackson would presumably choose the 5 white guys. > [@](#): > > There is nothing more painful for me at this stage in my life, than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery—and then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.” ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/57 "2011-07-21T01:32:39Z")
> [@RaleighRally](#): > > Crime is only about socioeconomic factors. Race is completely irrelevant. Stupid OP. I would much rather be mugged by poor blacks who need my money. I suppose the charges of racism against you are not completely true then. ---
**Author:** ![RaleighRally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RaleighRally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaleighRally)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/58 "2011-07-21T01:37:55Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I suppose the charges of racism against you are not completely true then. Yes that is correct. This forum is just so cool and if I get banned it would be a disaster for me.☹ ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/59 "2011-07-21T01:45:26Z")
Hmm while I was aware this would be an inflammatory question. A stupid question? yes pherhaps depends on who you ask. for me it was an interesting one. Though i fail to understand why it would be a hard one to answer.The variables are given in the OP very very clearly. from what I gathered , this was an offensive question, …I should have given more variables such as clothing etc etc…well yes that would have been possible but by opening that door my question would have been impossible to formualte. And with regards to people asking me “what about us non-whites” all I can say is that you should fell free to open up a new thread. I wasn’t interested in that aspect, But you have my blessings to open a new one I was looking for hypocricy by asking this question…glad i was proven wrong by the wonderful people answering my question. Now…what would I choose, the OP? -white males. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652/60 "2011-07-21T02:16:24Z")
Of course it depends on where you are. I suppose if you wandered into the wrong neighborhood somewhere in Ulster, five black guys might be a relief. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-for-white-people-regarding-race/589652.md?page=4)