The Paradox of Racialism

Racialism: A Broken, Dysfunctional, and Failing System

When we juxtapose the system of racialism (the social construction of a society rooted in systemic organization and differentiation; using artificial signifiers/values—skin pigmentation/melanin, hair, nose, lips, eyes, and bloodlines) with the qualities of a dynamic, optimal, efficient, and highly functional social system, we can begin to understand its brokenness, dysfunctionality, and failing properties.  The cognitive characteristics of Racialism including: mental models, outdated language, ignorance, and racial binary-disjunctive paradigms are what keep this system alive.  Also, we must consider the philosophical, educational, employment, economic, healthcare, political, and social structures that are impacted by this system.  Then, we can begin to understand racialism’s systemic nature.  

It is a divisive system that creates boundaries and barriers that only allow for the optimization of its elements (different races) separately, but not as a whole society.  Clearly, its trajectory—leading to a future filled with even more volatility-vulnerability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) conditions, which will only exacerbate the inefficiencies and brokenness of the system. When we think of racialism as a system, it becomes quite clear that its purpose and function prohibits the desirable outcomes (the equality and parity in the distribution of goods, services, resources, and opportunities for advancement) that we seek.

The Paradox of Racialism

          It is precisely because the system creates values and advantages for certain individuals and groups with a particular set of interests and creates a narrow range of values and more disadvantages for other groups which produces disproportionate outcomes within the system. The result—major inefficiencies in the methods and processes in which we use to create values and equal opportunities for society as a whole (holistically). The brokenness and dysfunctionality of the system leads to inevitable undesirable outcomes--unintended consequences, injustice, inequality, and the wrong line of conduct, which results in conflict and a bifurcated society!