You’ve heard the phrase “playing the race card” a lot since President Obama took office.

Hint: there is no such thing as race. Race is a fallacy that has no biological basis.

Humans are nearly identical from a DNA standpoint and the small variations in our individual genetic makeup account for the differences we see (with the emphasis on the word “See.”) A parakeet is different from a sparrow, but they are birds. Neither are dogs, a totally different species altogether.

Our species, Homo sapiens sapiens — somehow and for reasons unclear — grew large brains starting a few million years ago. The blessing is obvious to anyone reading this. The curse is that this brain of ours allows us to believe fallacies, post lies on Facebook, has the people at Snopes working overtime, con you into a bad investment, and causes you to believe political candidates spewing nonsense.

Where am I going with this? To young voters.

“Dear Young Possible Voter: I know you are sickened by all the lies you have been hearing from political candidates. This is deliberate. These people are a part of the lie-making machine who want to yank you around by your emotions. It’s all for their gain, not yours.”

One variation within our brains is that some people are capable of seeing through lies almost instantaneously just because these lies are so preposterous. Others have a brain structure that wants to believe lies because it reinforces a belief system, like the belief in the biologically discredited notion of race. Lies make them feel good — the same way dogs feel good when they are petted. This is real. Race is not.

 

Wayne Falda

Edwardsburg