Racism

From: kmnellist <keithnellist_at_YBMlJvWSRiGwxx2TSmM9nRJ-CPqPcs_ki-2TIf4OuGEKIFCredkT0Q_ShudpT_7>
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:18:35 -0000

Just wanted to say that I wasn't disgusted or whatever by the racism discussion. I think it is quite interesting, and a legacy from the swords and sorcery of the 30's (see RE Howards "races" evolving and devolving over the centuries), which are probably themselves legacies from racial theories from the 19th century.

Why they are interesting to Glorantha is that "race" (in the real world) is a made up concept, to account for people looking different. It doesn't really exist, but racial origins are very often mythic - ethnic identity is a state of mind, it is what you believe you are (or what you believe you are not) more than an intrinsic part of you. There is very little genetic difference between peoples, the small differences being that some just happen to look different, have resistance to malaria, have longer legs, have more subcutaneous fat, have slightly different eyelids, etc, etc.

Keith