I noticed that in the USA people are often strongly divided based on whether they identify as being “black” or “white”. Basically many people there make this a big part about their identity and separate communities based on it to the point where they developed different cultures and even different ways of talking and behavior solely based on whether they identify as “black” or “white”.

As far as I understand it’s based on the brightness of their skin color because of slavery but it’s not quite clear to me who is considered “black” or “white” since I’ve seen many people who for example have very bright skin and seem to have almost no African ethnicity but they still identify and talk/behave as “being black”.

I wonder why they still have this culture and separation since segregation ended in 1964.

Because in other regions like South America such as Brazil for example this culture doesn’t seem to exist that much and people just identify as people and they talk, behave and connect the exact same way no matter the skin brightness. People such in South America seem way more mixed and seem to not have this type of separation like in the USA based on external features like skin, hair or eye color.

To me it kind of feels like this is a political and economic reason in the US that they purposefully want to divide people for their gains. Because the extent to which this seems to have been normalized in Americas every day conversation both in private and in public/commercial spaces feels like brainwashing. And I wonder if this will ever improve since it seems to go as far as people being proud about these racist stereotypes and think this is completely normal. But considering the broader global context and America’s historical background it doesn’t seem normal. Especially with Americas context of slavery you would expect there to be strong efforts of fighting these stereotypes and having a political leadership that doesn’t see “color” and only judges based on individuals personality.

  • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    56
    arrow-down
    4
    ·
    13 hours ago

    its because slavery.

    early u.s. was created on the notion that black people werent people. when those that made money on that being fact were forced to think otherwise, it almost ripped the country in half.

    that animosity… the desire for non whites to be considered not people did not just suddenly vanish. its festered in america. it is ingrained. it is the ‘southern heritage’ talked about in whispers (and now out loud) with the new fascist takeover of america.

    a full 50% of america still hates the fact that non-whites are treated as people.

    • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠@slrpnk.net
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      30
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      13 hours ago

      not just slavery, modern practices like redlining also kept people physically separate until very recently and some form of it still are practiced today

    • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      13 hours ago

      Brazil did much worse slavery, but the racism is “softer”, there was a moment when 80% of the population was enslaved black/mixed people (indigenous were mostly just genocided away).
      Because most people are mixed, the racism here today is just on looks instead of ancestry, and AFAIK less violent.

      • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        14
        ·
        13 hours ago

        i would guess size and population densities, and government stabilization. what country is ‘south america’ ?

        theres more people in a larger area in a much more stable form of government allowing those socio-economic realities to exist far longer.

        ie the united states is super racist.