I'm sure a lot of us have heard this idea before, and surprisingly, the opinions on this topic vary greatly. What's your opinion? Does race matter? Should it matter? Let us know!

#1

Well, it shouldn't. Race doesn't matter, to me, and I think a large portion of people. A person is a person. But race, unfortunately, does matter, and has a profound impact on people's lives. Including receiving medical care, in our justice system, and just overall bias. I think, alot of times, that that bias is subconscious.

Report

Add photo comments
POST

#2

I think it matters in some cases. For example medically. People of certain races may be at higher risks of diseases or conditions because of their race. Socially I think everyone has the right to be proud of who they are and all races should receive fair treatment

Report

#3

The only thing that should matter about race is culture. And every culture and race are equal.

Report

#4

I think that it doesn't matter, but it does, indeed, matter.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#5

Unfortunately it matters now. The only thing that should matter is the human race!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#6

I think it doesn’t matter. My life is difficult being mixed. White people’s life is difficult for bein gl accused of being racist (happens often around me), black people have difficulties being seen lower class than others. Racism is not dead, and our world will only get worse.

Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

It depends on the context.

Jobs? It shouldn't matter.
Relationships? It shouldn't matter.
Representing others (i.e. local or national government)? It shouldn't matter.
Even preserving culture, it shouldn't matter.

Emphasis on 'Shouldn't'!

Talking to a police officer? Right now, Yeah it matters!

Report

#8

My answer: I thought there only was one race - beiing the human race. In different skin tones? Yes! In different eye colours? Yes! In different hair varieties? Yes! Still one race though...
Some people make it matter - whilst it shouldn't

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Yes we are all apart of the human race. But the phrase seems to discount our uniqueness. Where did the phrase come from? When I hear this, it makes me wonder if they are uncomfortable talking about it. Race is so much more than what other people see. Just be chill and have a real convo about embracing and honoring each others uniqueness to include their nationalities.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
#10

I would say to the person that says that, "You must be white".

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#11

I’d say that “race doesn’t matter” is a false statement. As long as people of different races are affected disproportionately and systematically in health, law enforcement, education, and quality of life, it does matter. This is global and to claim you are “colorblind” and race doesn’t matter is ignorant and just means it doesn’t matter to you personally.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#12

It's not supposed to matter. But after years and years of being told that I'm evil and my race of people are evil, for things that I'm not even responsible for...it seems to matter a lot to people. So I'm sorry but...I don't believe you.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#13

I would say that's a really encouraging start. Let's build on it.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#14

If you think race does matter, or it doesn’t matter, it should be the same for everyone. Either all kinds of race matter, or none do. You can’t say we should take one race into consideration for say college admissions, but not a different race.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#15

I might weigh in my own opinion - I believe (as a part of one's identity), race does matter a lot. One's culture, one's ethnicity, one's roots - all of these make up who we are.

(Note: they only make up who we are, and they are not COMPLETELY who we are. We are not defined by our race, but that doesn't mean we are chained by it, either.)

In other scenarios, race certainly shouldn't matter, but it does - in social spheres, with the police, getting a job, making friends...

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#16

Everybody should be treated fairly and with compassion regardless of their race, ethnicity, orientation, etc. It really sucks that they aren’t. Beauty is beauty, love is love, and talent is talent. But also, we shouldn’t act like there aren’t any differences between us. We should acknowledge those differences, embrace them, and realize that they’re part of what makes each of us unique and beautiful. I think if all of us learned more about eachother’s races and cultures, there’d probably be more understanding and less hate and hurt floating around. So yes, it matters, in the best possible way.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#17

If we were all blind, race would not matter. Unfortunately, those who are racist see something that is different from them and instead of embracing that difference, they want to degrade it, smother it, and pretend that they are superior to it.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#18

I hear there's a difference between race, culture, religion and nationality. Nationality and culture can influence values, traditions, mannerisms, social conduct, faith/spirituality, idealisms, etc. But so can our upbringing and the communities we grew up in, or the result of travelling/moving around a lot.
Race, in itself, is often this exterior appearance of skin tone, hair texture/colour, eye colour. It has nothing to do with vocal accents, as that is dictated by the region one as grown up in.
All in all, race is too superficial that it doesn't have to matter, however society has proven itself to enjoy things organized in a satisfying order, prefer to glance and make hasty, subconscious decisions without getting much other informaiton.

Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#19

It shouldn't matter but it does. people of different races get treated differently and that affects these people's lives. ignoring that race matters in this world (sadly) means that you could be missing people's experiences with racism. I wish it didn't matter but we can change the world if we change the way we think

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#20

In the future everyone will be one nice glowing tan. There's a term for that right now, Miscegenation! All one color and all blended together!

Report

Add photo comments
POST
#21

We're all equal under the grass.

Report

Add photo comments
POST