Posted on ....................... in 11/14/2004.

Is Racism a British or American phenomenon? Is it a White versus others phenomena?

Well, racism is a fact. Yet, it need not be mistaken to be British or American phenomena nor is it an Englishman versus black or brown phenomena.

Actually, the emotion that impels the emotion of racism as seen in English social systems can only be skin deep. That is, what is much discussed over there is a minor percentage of similar emotions that exists in other parts of the world.

Seeing Indian society, from an Indian eye of experience, there are innumerable similar emotions that exist in the social scene. What is described, as racial feelings over there wouldn’t come anywhere near to what is more or less a living experience for most Indians. Yet, not much persons chance to complain. For, in this society, the communication system, as well as other social mechanisms that lend the route to complain is not there.

Any Indian would see the forces that bind him or her to forcefully designed social routes, and strata are more or less, immovable. What is seen intelligent is to make the best out of the system by supporting it, and making the best profit out of the realities. Complaining or trying to undo the system is not only seen as foolish, but also as impossible.

There are Englishmen who also have had the pangs of racial distress. If it is created when, for example, an Indian, is intruding into the intimate social areas, then it is true that the reaction has been created by reasons that are not unique, but universal. For example, in India, many layer of social strata are repulsive to so many other layers. It need not be understood here that it is based on financial status, even though this parameter is one of the easiest to explain.

Cultural level of the spoken dialect, association with differing strata of social groups, looks, colour, residential areas, profession, level of profession in the hierarchy, family status, family relatives, government jobs, and many other issues act with ferocious, yet anonymous, stamina to force persons to extrude differing social auras. This aura is very much visible to the discerning third person/s. This aura is created by the languages.

It may be seen that differing levels of social groups do interact with an uncanny levels of interact-ability, in an Indian social scene. An English person may not understand much, but from the inside, the perspective may be much different. For, each level may be cleverly cordoned from many others by a creepy design in the language. This design essentially connects all persons with differing hues and tones, and also with an embedded direction code. This supremely sinister phenomenon is not understandable to the average English person. Even though, he or she would be able to feel its presence, as one might feel the presence of eerie supernatural beings in one’s proximity. Others (other Indians) can see it as most natural thing.

Here it needs mention that persons who do step out of this social design, that arranges interaction, pose, posture, connections, words, and much others, do really bring in disaster to the social scenario. Yet, in the Indian scene not many persons can do it or dare to do it, unless there is some other external support.

Yet, when these same persons, who can bring in a variety of social reactions, and emotions in others, depending on their strata in the social communication system, do come over to the English speaking world, there is nothing to cordon them off.

English, in this sense is a very weak language. It allows intrusion. Yet, it is a painful experience for both sides. Immense experiences in the English world are definitely free, and liberal. Many of the Indians who cannot address, a slightly elder brother, a lower level petty official, a police constable, and immense others with conveyable self-dignity, find it natural that they can address even the most racist Englishman, by name, with or without a Mr. suffixed.

There are immense words for polite interaction, without reference to social status. And the levels of social interaction are definitely of a much finer quality than can be programmed in an Indian language scenario. In the Indian language scenario, an introduction or a knowledge of some social superiority can invite real effusive affection. Yet, an absence of the same can generate distressing meanness in interaction.

Yet for the Indian in an English social scene, it is a real pain. He has arrived in a scenario, which is plainly liberating, and mentally stimulating. Yet, he or she is painfully aware that he or she is still an outsider. The minimum understanding he care to take, is that he or she lacks the white skin. On the other side, the Indian aura radiating the immensity of negative social emotions can also create the same feeling it can, or has created in the Indian social scene. Yet, in India, the reaction it creates it not identified as racial. The White English man can only identify his emotions as purely racial, and his repulsion is for the non-White skin.

Yet, the same emotion that the Englishman has felt would also be felt by another Indian who has lived in an English social scene for many years imbibing its social program content in his or her mental mood. Here he or she is in a dilemma. He or she would find the newcomer’s aura disturbing, yet the identification of native social ancestry would distress him or her.

A singular Indian would not compromise English cultural systems. For example, the easy English manner of interaction, in which even children can call another person by name, with or without a Mr., Ms., or Mrs. would stand compromised when a lot Indians from the same vernacular language converge on an area. The discerning English person would not like his or her children to get used to the alien language social designs that reduces self confidence in children, as they get used to inputs that questions their natural language stance. Yet, is this attitude a racial one alone? Not at, all. In India also, parents take pain to remove their children from children who they perceive to belong to social classes, they do not fancy. Yet, here it is not perceived as racism, but as pure concern for the welfare of the child. It is openly advised.

Another phenomena, that can be misconstrued as racial is the natural worry about the social links that a new person can bring in. It is like this:

There can be a really likable person from an alien social class. He may display beautiful intelligence, and keen sense of propriety. Yet, what about the others with whom he lives, or with whom he is socially identified with? Wouldn’t his intrusion not really give the route to others from his native group to intrude? Wouldn’t association with him not reduce one’s social status? Won’t his children or wife and other relatives, intrude with distressing mental attitudes.

Yet, these questions are more securely answerable in non-English languages, than understandable in English. For in the weirdly designed feudal languages, associates or companions can really design ones social routes, and mobility.

Oscar Wilde’s words that one can be judged by one’s companions, has more meaning when addressed in a non-English language.

In all social systems, persons can have insecure feelings. Yet, the feudal language systems can bring in insecurity with a ferociousness that is still beyond the ken of the average English speaker. In many ways, he lives in a paradise-like world. This world is efficient. Yet, it survives only as long as it can protect its unique softness.