What if race is more than a social construct?

Globe & Mail ^ | 5/10/2014

[Nowhere Man]

It is probable that in ten or fifteen years all the millions of people employed primarily as drivers of vehicles will be out of a job. Computers will replace them. A computer system that will probably cost $10k or so, can operate around the clock, never gets sick, and has many fewer accidents.

The same thing applies to more and more fields. What are we to do with those for whom there is no economic demand?

One can make a case for stopping this trend, as you have for stopping research into human racial differences.

But the only way to enforce these stoppages would be to install a worldwide totalitarian system, a “solution” that is almost certainly worse than the problems.

IOW, we can’t stop this. We WILL have to deal with what is discovered.

Good points. We, my friends and I, were talking about this at one time. We can only see a few ways "out" although it may not be palatable to many here. One way is to have a guaranteed basic living wage for everyone. Best case scenario, think Star Trek where everyone has a basic wage, basic house, maybe basic car, etc., and if they want more, then they find their niche to work for it. the downside, idle hands are truly the Devil's workshop. so this brings into another side of this:

Many societies will enact laws against automation with the exception of very hazardous duties such as cleaning up meltdowns from atomic power plants for example. If a human can do it, they will do it. Sure they might run a machine but a human must be in control. I read the novelization of "Battlestar Galactica" (the 1978 version) where Caprica and I assume most or all of the Colonies did outlaw the use of robot labor and untended automation to keep their people working, although I admit the enemy, the mechanized Cylons had a lot to do with it too. I also remember a similar idea from an old episode of "Sliders" where they landed on an alternate Earth where technology was restricted to a 1955 level by law. I'm not against technology but I think we are not ready to deal with the after-effects of it as a society and although these ideas challenge my idealistic beliefs, as the pragmatist/realist I am, we might have to do one or two, preferable the latter, at least people will still be productive. IIRC, India does a bit of this, when they tested their atomic bombs, although they had machinery to dig the holes, they still used a lot of human labor to keep many of their people busy.

I know the topic is a discussion between races and/or groups of people and since I brought up India, many Indians I see really use the internet and cellphones. I work at a department store and I notice many people who hail from India use coupons from their cellphones and use only e-mail receipts. They make me look "half-a$$ed Amish," then again, I still use a 1982 Zenith, VHS tape and my grandfather's 5 tube radio from 1953.

[Nowhere Man]

As you intelligently point out, much conservative (and liberal, for that matter) ideology simply becomes irrelevant in a world of abundance rather than scarcity.

For example, the free market, beloved of conservatives and hated by liberals, is in its essence a way of most efficiently distributing scarce resources. In a world where most things aren't scarce, the market becomes irrelevant.

If we get that far, you're right at that point, ideology will not matter, neither left or right will be able to provide solutions then to deal with it.

[PapaBear3625]

It they were voting that way, then it would be a rejection of Christianity. Besides, it isn’t true, 95% of blacks are not collecting welfare and voting solely for it and affirmative action.

The vast majority of blacks are not on welfare, true. But Affirmative Action IS a big consideration. I would think a majority feels that, except for government action, they would be in a lower position and making less money. Also, let's not forget that a disproportionate number work in government, and would be adversely affected by reduction in government employment.

[polymuser]

Agree. Their faith and their voting are highly at odds. But then, isn’t that true for all ‘Christian Democrats’? (An oxymoron?)

[GOPJ]

Insightful...

[PeterPrinciple]

Its funny I don’t think there is any stronger fear whites have today than to be deemed the slightest bit racist....not me obviously

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I am with you, I understand your point. I am a bigot to the nth degree and discriminate heavily on behavior. But I don't care what color someones skin is or what hangs or doesn't between their legs.

[PeterPrinciple]

Highly educated people have a bias toward their in-group,

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To illustrate: I had a discussion about global warming with a professor in electrical engineering, some one I though would have good analytical skills. I presented a good detailed case to him and his response to me was, “
Why would anyone risk their career on something that wasn’t true?”