Videos for week seven - Race and Identity

 Before watching the videos and having changed my original opinion, I have always been curious about race. Curious about what exactly race is, who came up with it, and why does it matter? When looking at a definitive definition of race it states that it is "one of the groups that humans are often divided into based on physical traits" which strengthens my theory of people simply and naturally being not only confused but scared of the unknown. I came to this theory due to the keywords in the definition "groups" and "divided" as throughout history people treat another based on how not only one looks, but status, importance, and simply how much the other person can benefit them. I personally can not come up with my own definition of race, but I can and do agree with the definition I found on the internet as ethnicity is a more distinct characteristic in comparison. I think race can be both limiting and emancipating as you can't be set free without originally being caged, so I think that the usually sorrowful history of race it now brings a story worth telling through eyes of admiration rather than shame. I think race in modern times does define our identity as it used and acknowledged so much that there is almost no going back. Although, with those same thoughts in mind, I do think that race is a myth to, as previously mentioned, make people assured of what they don't really understand. Today I don't think the statement is as true because, with knowledge, time, and critical thinking different people and features aren't as shocking to the eye anymore. 

When watching the videos linked, I really enjoyed the video "This Is Who You Are" by Prince Ea as he made a lot of great points that I too have thought about. One of my favorite things he says that I would like to acknowledge is during his monologue in a room of lightbulbs he states "there is one current running through each bulb" which is the analogy he used to identify how people everywhere on this earth are the same no matter or shapes or colors due to us all having the same energy used to not only do our everyday tasks but to live. H continues this analogy with a short story of a young boy dying on an operating table yet their race, gender, and identity are still on the table, so how could one say that they died? The story helps prove Ea's statement that energy is the necessary form of life, not race and identity. 

With identity being the main aspect people see and make conclusions from I would agree that the outside doesn't reflect who we are on the inside as I personally haven't experienced it, I think, but I have noticed that tattoos aren't getting the same bad reputation as they used to but it used to be if you had a tattoo you probably got into a lot of trouble which isn't completely true. After watching the videos, my thoughts about identity and race have not changed at all as I wasn't told anything that I didn't already know. Although I would love to talk about and imagine a world where there is no such thing as race itself and maybe even identity, but I think that's just wishful thinking.