The Complexity of Racism

Racism is defined as a contempt or devaluation of another person's humanity based on their presumed racial identity. It involves suspending rationality and perpetuating derogatory perceptions and imputations about a person's intelligence, character, and fitness solely based on their race. However, it is important to distinguish between harboring biases and endorsing norms that support those biases. Merely harboring biases doesn't make someone racist, as racism entails endorsing and justifying those biases as morally acceptable. Moreover, when discussing racism, it is crucial to consider the impact of historical context, cultural structures, and individual agency, as simply attributing all racial disparities to structural racism can be oversimplifying and limiting.