Let’s Play Spot the Racist

“Don’t stay out too late or the Banglas (Bangaladeshi Nationals) will catch you!”

The first piece of cautionary advice many of us received had to do with avoiding the terrors of the monstrous “Other”.

Ever heard of the theory of the “Other”? While it may sound like science fiction jargon dug from the abyss of remote sci-fi flicks, it is most definitely grounded in reality. In sociology, the concept of the “Other” refers to people who do not share the same identity as we do (1). Primarily, our identity is based on our own personality, beliefs and values, cultural practices and one’s superficial qualities (i.e one’s physical traits).

As the term “Other” would suggest, our identities possess a certain element of exclusivity. This leads to “Othering”, which involves us viewing people who are different as outsiders in our community (1). “Othering” originated as a means for survival. After generations, this evolved to be ingrained in our physiology and became second nature to us. By cooperating with those of similar social motivations and distancing ourselves from those of dissimilar ones, our different groups could survive more effectively and efficiently (2).

However, we trust those of other groups less than our own. Thus, “Othering” not only engenders a lack of ability to empathise with disparate peoples — it also makes us more susceptible toward believing negative stereotypes of them.

So, what has that got to do with our February topic of Racism? Well, as people are inclined to exclude those they deem as different, many individuals in modern society choose to isolate people solely because of their race. This may also stem from cultural apathy and a lack of understanding of other cultures, leading to incidents akin to that of the neighbourhood curry-cooking conflict (3). These existing misperceptions of other cultures may be exacerbated by negative media portrayals, political rhetoric, and anecdotes that misrepresent others (4).

The real-life implications of “Othering” have had significant negative impacts on whole communities. Examples would include the promulgation of anti-Chinese rhetoric during this period of Covid-19, primarily in areas where the Chinese are the minority and seen as the “Other”.

According to Professor Donald Low, an academic based in Hong Kong, Sinophobia in the West is borne out of unfamiliarity, due to Chinese culture being seen as too far and removed from their own (5). A lack of understanding of the unfamiliar Chinese culture is one of the main factors that has resulted in the belief that the pandemic originated from “Chinese people eating raw bats and snakes”, as Fox News personality Jesse Watters had remarked during a panel talk run by the news agency. These false perceptions have led to widespread negative sentiments towards the local Chinese community in the States, worsening the standards of living for these citizens. Ostensibly, “Othering” leads to a lack of understanding of another group and may inflate into false and accusatory beliefs that endangers the accused (4).

Now, you might think that analogous incidents are too far-fetched to be worried about in a racially-harmonious country such as Singapore. Well, go for a stroll in your school campus! You are likely to see students forming cliques with people of their own culture and race. In fact, it is human nature to lean towards forming groups with those similar to ourselves. When we interact with people of similar race, culture, language or interests, it fosters a sense of belonging, which is crucial to many when forming relationships and strengthening bonds (6).

However, this tendency to segregate one’s group from others is also a root cause of racism (7). By sticking close to people similar to ourselves, we are limiting our interactions with others and depriving ourselves of opportunities for mutual understanding. Reminiscent of the previously mentioned Fox News incident, this causes differences between groups to become more conspicuous, misunderstandings to arise, and formation of superiority complexes -- the disastrous recipe for racism.

As a small and diverse nation, Singapore is all the more susceptible to being divided by race. The Racial Riots of 1964 made Singaporeans aware of potential racial tensions and fault lines in our nation, and how they might have disastrous effects. In order to preserve the peace and stability in such a vulnerable nation, our pioneering government put a special emphasis on fostering racial harmony (8).

Diving deeper into the local context

Have you randomly come across Youtube videos that showcase Singapore from a foreign perspective? For many of us, watching such videos that more often than not portray Singapore in a good light, imbues a weirdly patriotic sense of pride in us. Current policies such as the Ethnic Integration Policy that seeks to prevent the creation of ethnic enclaves have been largely effective in facilitating communal bonding and have set a high benchmark for future housing policies.

At the same time, there have been other policies that are seemingly … questionable in trying to foster multiculturalism locally. With more and more discussions sparking online, even the educational system — namely the SAP school initiative — has been criticised as counterproductive and segregationist (9). After all, how could a school that only allows for Mandarin to be taken as a Mother Tongue language foster interracial interaction?

As elaborated upon by Minister Ong Ye Kung, the system was established in the past to combat declining interest in Mandarin and to ensure bilingualism continues to flourish.10 Indeed, Singapore has always prided itself upon being a bilingual nation that has proven effective in communicating internationally. However, it should foremost be acknowledged that, this bilingual educational system may compromise interracial interaction. Secondly, much more can be done to ensure interracial interaction, and consequently mutual racial understanding, is secured.

Racism can be expressed in many ways. Through the decades, many policies have been put in place to counter the effects of it in the working world, in attempts to ensure equality for every individual, to varying degrees of success.

However, casual racism, aka racism expressed through behavioural traits in our everyday life, is often too easily overlooked and very difficult to prevent. Because of the nature of casual racism, it often goes unnoticed by outsiders. As such, it leaves only the person on the receiving end feeling the true extent of the emotional pain, while their peers merely brush it off as trivial, further isolating the victim.

From a survey group of 22 teens in Singapore, we found that about half of the respondents have experienced casual racism in their lives, ranging from demeaning jokes, to racial slurs being thrown about while they were present. We also found that this usually happens at places they frequent, like schools and the internet.

What this means is that in places where they should feel comfortable and safe, they aren’t, solely because of race.

Moreover, hardly any occurrences of casual racism result in dangerous situations. As a result, it does not rank very high on the government’s list of priorities as compared to the other objectives on their agenda.

Hence, it is imperative that we step up to do our part to stop racism when we see it. However, when dealing with such situations, it is common and natural that we get swept up in the bystander effect, in that we simply stand there and watch as racism unfolds. Further, we may do nothing constructive to solve the problem -- we may simply go along with the flow just because it suits the mood. Sound familiar? We've all been there. Here’s what we can do to change that.

New York Times’ Ruth Terry has suggested some helpful guiding tips to intervene early and often, and have allies who can help you to find the moral courage to do so. It is extremely mentally taxing, due to the social pressure you may feel as you step into the spotlight. Depending on the person and situation, there is always a chance you may get it wrong. However, we need to try and try again, in order to “build resilience”. Always remember: “It’s okay to start small”. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (11).

We acknowledge that simply writing this is infinitely easier than acting and stepping up, into the spotlight. Many of us will definitely struggle with this at first, but we hope that eventually, as a community, we will make the choice to do what is right when the situation calls for it.

Written by: Kassendra Lok Yixuan, Jace Bong, Curtis Neo Kai Di, Karenin Lee, Davina Sitoh Yingrui

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