The Concept of Human Race

The idea of human races as a true biological influence is a fallacy that can be debunked using a variety of methods. Race as a biological element arose as a result of informal teachings and reinforcements in cultures. Leaders and politicians exploited races to maintain the dominance of some groups by demonstrating that certain races are superior to others. Leaders of some nations committed atrocities while believing their race was superior. However, racial classification has failed, demonstrating that human racial biology is not real. The traits that people previously considered racial have been discovered to be independent of behavioral and environmental factors have significant influences.

One of the debunking points that show that human races are not biologically real is melanocytes and melanin production. The distribution of skin colors in various regions was considered to be racial. However, recent studies show that melanin production and skin color depend on the amounts of solar radiation. The difference in the environment explains why people in India, Australia and Africa have dark skin color. Moreover, there are complex interactions of genetics to determine behavioral and morphological characteristics of people. Besides, people from all races have similar skin structure and similar melanocytes per area of the skin (Corcos 226). The variation in distribution and density of melanin cause difference in the absorption and reflection of light to provide the appearance of the skin (Fuentes 82). Therefore, the variations of human skins are only evident in their functions that also arise from differences in environmental pressure.

The human blood is also common among all races. The grouping of blood depends on the expression of A and B antigens on the surfaces of red blood cells. These antigens are inherited through genes passed from parents to their children. Statistics show that the blood group distribution regarding the percentage of people having them depends on the regions. However, the distributions are not similar to perceived racial traits such as skin color. All races have ABO blood groups with no pattern to divide human into categories (Fuentes 78). Therefore, factors that result in a distribution of ’races’ are not similar to the ones causing variations in blood types.

The eugenics movement is another example that showed racial categorization is a myth. The movement aimed at improving the human hereditary. It was considered a way of improving the dominant groups in the population. The classification showed that only people that were ’fit’ could reproduce while others were denied the right to reproduce. The practices in the movement aimed at producing people with high qualities. Studies have shown that genetic claims regarding racial differences were false (Krimsky and Kathleen, 19). Therefore, the eugenics movement shows that racial categorization by eugenicists is a myth that is not based on biological factors.

In conclusion, skin colors, blood groups and the eugenics movements show that racial categorization is a myth. The considered traits in these factors are present in all the races. Besides, some of the differences people associated with racial categorizations are due to environmental factors. The genetics and structural body in all perceived races are the same, but they often show functional differences. Therefore, the differences in the appearances and functions with similar biological factors show that classification of people into races is a myth.

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Works Cited

Corcos, Alain F. Myth of Human Races. Tucson, Arizona: Wheatmark, 2016. Print.

Fuentes, Agustin. Race, Monogamy, and Other Lies They Told You: Busting Myths About Human Nature. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2015. Print.

Krimsky, Sheldon, and Kathleen Sloan. Race and the Genetic Revolution: Science, Myth, and Culture. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011. Print.