As Long as I'm Avenue Qing: Are You a Little Bit Racist?

[Alex K]

I've got a little racist in me, too. When I come across someone on the street at night, skin color is definitely a factor in my reaction in that situation, and it annoys me every time. On average, before I think rationally about it, I don't expect POC to be as competent as yoghurt-colored people like me even though I know that it is nonsense (*). It's absolutely horrific. At least I know better, but it's hard to impossible to get out of the system.

(*) I've had this eye-opening experience which made me look like an idiot to myself: I was standing in line in Uni in NY, and I went to the undergrad food court that day because of reasons. Behind me in line at the pizza parlour stood two young black guys in what you'd call stereotypical outfits - hoodies, baseball caps, sagging pants, and were discussing something in an agitated fashion in a relatively thick dialect. Of course, my brain had some pre-formed opinions which I didn't even know I had until I caught myself idly listening to their conversation. As I listened, it took me by complete surprise that they were actually talking about the properties of a partial differential equation they were dealing with. I slapped myself silently and got my pizza.