gumby
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by gumby on Mar 2, 2010 0:14:22 GMT -5
Hey folks,
I know that at least some of you can relate and I need to vent. At my workplace we're attempting to have discussions about race, which is fantastic, but so far it's been very black and white with the occasional Latino comment thrown in. I feel like, as a society, we are far too primitive to be able to understand race as something including black, white, and everything in between. I'm just feeling so frustrated. I walk into those discussions wanting to contribute to positive social change by talking about race issues, but I walk out feeling isolated, and keep telling myself how I want to move to Hawaii and I KNOW you know that when you're thinking about Hawaii, it means you're fed up.
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palavore
Full Member
I put my pants on just like the rest of you -- one leg at a time. Except, once my pants are on, I make gold posts.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Posts: 298
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Post by palavore on Mar 2, 2010 20:32:45 GMT -5
You're discussing race in your workplace. Is this initiative being led by human resources?
Race is a delicate issue. If it isn't handled properly you might end up poisoning the work environment more than it had been in the beginning. You're showing signs of isolation and wanting to "walk out". Either you're approaching a climatic turning point in the discussion or the group has lost sight of their goals.
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Post by jefe on Mar 20, 2010 15:32:04 GMT -5
Yeah, I would like to know if this discussion in the office
- is initiated by the company or one of its departments or managers
- was initiated by an individual or group of individuals without company support
- just happened spontaneously
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Post by Ganbare! on Apr 11, 2010 14:06:39 GMT -5
I fail to see the relevance of race with work. Skills are skills, affirmative action has sabotaged US productivity long enough, not to mention office politics unnecessarily complexifying people's jobs.
The Black or White approach is an archetype of the American psyche, binary vision, you're either with us or against us, skinny or fat, you are White or you are a 'one drop rule' minority...
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Post by Ganbare! on Apr 15, 2010 2:15:13 GMT -5
Anyone think being EA has anything to do with work outside of international trade or cultural business maybe. I don't really understand how race should impact our tasks and missions.
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Post by jefe on Apr 15, 2010 12:48:55 GMT -5
^Race consciousness is not just an American thing. It seems to play a very strong and powerful role in many places. I have seen it in action in the workplaces in Japan, China, HK, Singapore, etc.
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Post by Ganbare! on Apr 15, 2010 14:57:00 GMT -5
I'm not denying that race is a driving force almost everywhere on the globe, I just don't see why it should matter in the workplace.
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Post by admin on Apr 15, 2010 16:52:10 GMT -5
I'm not denying that race is a driving force almost everywhere on the globe, I just don't see why it should matter in the workplace. A perfect world we are not. If I am trying to make a sale to a bunch of good old boys down in Mississippi, I am going to send the whitest person I have down there to make the deal. SHOULD I have to do that? Of course not. |
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Post by jefe on Apr 16, 2010 0:43:16 GMT -5
It is so funny -- our racial and ethnic label, as well as gender, age, height / weight, clothing, even sexual orientation, family status, etc., etc. are marketing factors, each of which affect our brand in the eyes of the consumer.
So . . .
We really need to improve the Eurasian BRAND. We can do a lot more than pose as models for beauty products! I am sure there is something we can do to help Eurasians everywhere!
My brother is a basketball coach (and barely 5'10"), who historically had to coach teams that were primarily African-American. He is not really into being Eurasian, but I do know that he has had to struggle with a society who thinks basketball coaches need to be tall black men.
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