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Comment by Zetice | Hacker News Reader

> If there are observable differences between racial groups (not a contested fact I think?)

Not a thing, and very much contested.

Even scientists who dispute the idea of a genetic basis for race agree that there are observable differences between races.

There are real ancestry differences across populations that correlate to the social constructions we have. We have to deal with that.

— David Reich, quoted in Angela Saini, Superior: The Return to Race Science, (Chapter 7: Roots)

No, they don’t. There is literally zero biological concept of race, and the observations you’re referring to aren’t along “racial” lines that exist culturally.

> Biologically valid races are not real, but cultural racism is, and we must understand how this cultural reality affects our everyday interactions.

Robert Wald Sussman, The Myth of Race: The Troubling Persistence of an Unscientific Idea

I didn't say there was a biological basis. David Reich doesn't say there is either - he is well known to be opposed to the idea. But there are observable differences - how they come about is another question. And any difference is potentially subject to a value judgement, leading to the conclusion I outlined above.

Peace.

Oh, well yeah -- racists created these categories based on superficial observable traits that do end up being genetic (e.g. skin tone).

That's true, but nothing else is. No other correlations can be made, and certainly "racial makeup" isn't a thing.

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