Racism: A Species Problem

Racism: A Species Problem We Must Solve to Survive

Racism is often framed as a social, cultural, or political issue—something that affects communities, shapes national discourse, or drives historical conflicts. But to fully grasp its impact and urgency, we must go deeper. Racism is a species problem, a profound flaw in our collective operating system. It threatens not just our societies, but the viability of humanity itself.

In a recent social media response to a post addressing racism, I offered this reflection:

"What is (are) the seed(s) of racism? I think about this question continuously. It’s not a simple answer. It’s not a one-dimensional issue.
Fear.
Ignorance.
Arrogance.
Insecurity.
Conditioning.
Religion.

There are probably more words to list here, but this list, and the presence of these things in the souls of humans ensures that racism will remain prevalent unless we decide collectively to represent a bold departure from them.
Courage.
Knowledge.
Humility.
Confidence.
Morality.
Acceptance.

We have much work to do."

My intent was to create resonance by capturing the tangled roots of racism and the equally complex solutions we must pursue. Each negative seed—fear, ignorance, arrogance—corresponds with an antidote: courage, knowledge, humility. The dual list reads like a mirror: what lies on one side of human nature must be met and overpowered by the better angels of the other.

Racism as a Threat to Human Survival

Sociologists like Eduardo Bonilla-Silva and philosophers like Charles W. Mills have long argued that racism is not a peripheral dysfunction of modernity—it is central to how global systems of power and privilege have been built. Bonilla-Silva’s theory of “color-blind racism” shows how racism adapts and survives by embedding itself subtly in institutions, language, and assumptions (Bonilla-Silva, 2018). Mills, in The Racial Contract, goes further, describing racism as the unspoken foundation of modern political theory—a tacit agreement that privileges whiteness and marginalizes others (Mills, 1997).

But these thinkers also hint at something more existential: racism isn’t just socially unjust—it’s evolutionarily unsustainable.

Biologist David Sloan Wilson, who studies the evolution of cooperation, suggests that the success of our species has always depended on our ability to transcend tribalism and build larger, more inclusive forms of identity. While tribalism may have once helped small groups survive, in today’s global, interconnected society, it becomes a liability. Racism, as a modern form of tribal exclusion, undermines our ability to cooperate on global challenges like climate change, migration, and peace (Wilson, 2015).

As psychologist Beverly Daniel Tatum emphasizes in her foundational work, racism is deeply embedded in how individuals are socialized. It’s not simply about bad people doing bad things; it's a collective consequence of systems, institutions, and normalized behaviors that perpetuate group hierarchies, often without conscious intent (Tatum, 2017).

The Moral and Psychological Cost

In addition to being a global threat, racism inflicts a spiritual wound on the human species. It teaches division where there should be unity, superiority where there should be empathy. From a psychological standpoint, racism damages both the oppressed and the oppressor—dehumanizing one, and morally corrupting the other.

Dr. Robin DiAngelo, in White Fragility, argues that confronting racism demands discomfort—qualities that are often antithetical to how many have been raised to view themselves. Without vulnerability, there can be no transformation. Defensive reactions to being confronted with racial bias typically serve to maintain the status quo (DiAngelo, 2018).

A Collective Call to Evolution

If racism is rooted in fear, insecurity, and social conditioning, then its eradication will require nothing less than a conscious evolution. Not biological, but moral, cognitive, and spiritual.

The alternative list from the social media post offers a blueprint:

Courage to challenge systems and relationships.
Knowledge to unlearn and re-educate.
Humility to accept that one may be complicit.
Confidence to act despite fear or social backlash.
Morality in doing what is right even when it’s hard.
Acceptance to embrace human diversity without superiority.

These are not just personal virtues—they are evolutionary imperatives.

What Comes Next?

To begin this evolution, we must:

Center anti-racist education in schools, media, and institutions—not as a “special topic,” but as core human literacy.
Recognize racism as a public health crisis, as many scholars and policymakers now do, due to its measurable effects on mental and physical health (Williams & Mohammed, 2009).
Invest in inclusive dialogue and coalition-building that prioritizes empathy, listening, and shared purpose.
Hold systems accountable to dismantle structural inequality in healthcare, housing, education, policing, and employment.

Thinking Forward: The Future Depends on Us

Racism is not just a moral failing; it is a species-level vulnerability. In a world facing climate collapse, AI inequality, political polarization, and ecological breakdown, the luxury of division is one we cannot afford. If we do not learn to see one another as fully human—across lines of race, ethnicity, class, and nationality—we may not survive the future we are creating.

The seeds of racism are deep. But so are the roots of our shared humanity. Our future depends on which we choose to nourish.

Call to Action
Let this not be another article you scroll past. Choose one action today—read, reflect, speak up, intervene, donate, disrupt, or listen. The evolution of our species begins with the courage of individuals.

Let’s do the work. Together.

References

Bonilla-Silva, E. (2018). Racism without racists: Color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in America (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.
DiAngelo, R. (2018). White fragility: Why it’s so hard for White people to talk about racism. Beacon Press.
Mills, C. W. (1997). The racial contract. Cornell University Press.
Tatum, B. D. (2017). Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? And other conversations about race (20th anniversary ed.). Basic Books.
Williams, D. R., & Mohammed, S. A. (2009). Discrimination and racial disparities in health: Evidence and needed research. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 32(1), 20–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-008-9185-0
Wilson, D. S. (2015). Does altruism exist? Culture, genes, and the welfare of others. Yale University Press.

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