Chapter 3

Throughout Chapter 3 Johnson tried to identify what difference is and what it means. Johnson states that we should not live in fear or act with hatred with those that are different. He says differences between people are fine until one group of people decides they are better than another. And by deciding this it makes a privileged group, which is something that encourages discrimination by classify others based on color, sex, race, or even being disabled. In this chapter Johnson come up with a point system that helps understand what some people believe are better traits then others do. He believes that Racism was created from when capitalism became relevant in society. It was started when white people believed that they were better than blacks. The origins of racism had more to do with the amount of money that one had before it became mostly to do with the color of ones skin. Capitalism is pretty much the separation of classes mostly based on their financial class. White males had the majority of the money and therefore felt superior to the poorer black males creating racism. Johnson raises a very valid point when stating that it is not difference that destroys us, but when a difference is decided to be inferior is when discrimination and racism can take over. The point system that Johnson had created came off as a bit harsh, with the points given or taken away for what race, sex, sexuality, or if you were disabled. These traits are shallow superficial views of how people are viewed through the eyes of someone he believes they are superior to others. I found it interesting how Johnson related capitalism to the creation of racism. It makes sense because with capitalism the people who were white upper class with money tried to become the only influence in society, excluding many poor people, mostly with the poor blacks. This dominance allowed white males to force a race into slavery that had virtually no money.