Yeah... Racism has nothing to do with the historical opium epidemic in China. Racists just racist. Anyone different from them too, like LGBTQ, and intellectuals.

[–] nxfsi@lemmy.world -5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are racists everywhere that's true, but people who are naturally racist are rare because racism is something that is taught. The lack of a strong voice for minority races is what allows racists in power to normalize their discrimination against them, eventually making it a systemic and widespread phenomenon.

You argue that the opium epidemic has absolutely zero effect on racism towards Chinese people. However I say that the opium epidemic directly started a chain of events that led to the downfall of the Chinese government, which enabled racist people to teach their racism to the government and the rest of society without fear of repercussions, therefore enabling widespread and systemic racism against Asians.

[–] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I'm sorry, I've never seen any mention linking racism to be caused by the Chinese opium epidemic. Because it's not true. Racism is the belief that one's own race is superior to others. In order for the opium epidemic to have caused it initially, the common person would have had to know about it at some point.

Due to the speed at which information traveled, hardly anyone was aware, let alone understood, that there was an entire country being controlled by opium sales from Britain.

What I'm trying to point out is that a racist individual will be racist no matter the cause, they were predisposed to think their race superior.