It is depressingly true that much science – for example, of the roots of homo sapiens and thus of humanity – is politicised. Rather than a description of what happened we get things distorted through the lens of what people think should be happening now. So, for example, where and when Homo Sapiens turned up in Europe becomes an almost Whiggish story of how Europeans – white of course – scaled ever greater heights of humanity while other areas remained Neanderthal or even Erect.
Hmm.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Until the mid 20th century, racial scientists insisted that fossil data revealed the superiority of the Caucasian race. In the 1970s, the “out of Africa” theory – the idea that all contemporary humans stem from a small group of H sapiens from east Africa – seemed to provide an objective basis for an anti-racist viewpoint. Our “descent from a recent African root”, the American palaentologist Stephen J Gould wrote, shows that “human unity is no idle political slogan”.[/perfectpullquote]Quite so.
And yet there are still useful modern day lessons to be learned:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] When last year a reconstruction of a skeleton discovered in 1903 in the Cheddar Gorge suggested that “Cheddar Man” had dark skin, some suggested that “we may have to rethink some of our notions of what it is to be British”. The story of human origins no more tells us about equality now than the 10,000-year-old Cheddar Man speaks to contemporary Britishness. Appropriating the past to fight the battles of the present inevitably distorts both the past and the present. [/perfectpullquote]That Cheddar Man was a darkie isn’t an odd or unusual insistence. We know that Whitey – pale skin that is – evolved more than once in response to those evolutionary pressures. We still see the reason why in modern populations too. Those darker skinned of our fellow Britons really do need more time out in the sunshine and fresh air in order to get the Vitamin D levels up and thus avoid rickets. Cultural practices like swathing the distaff side in voluminous robes don’t help here.
But Cheddar Man, his lesson for us? Well, the indigenous British population of which he was a member was entirely wiped out by subsequent immigrants. We’ve really pretty much no DNA of the Mesolithic population among us. Not even along the lines of the female derived mitochondrial. That population was entirely replaced by the Neolithic arrivals, the Celts.
Which is an interesting lesson for today, isn’t it? Beware of immigration because they might wipe you out perhaps? Or, even, don’t let the Welsh over the border?
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Watched an interview with Lewis Hamilton yesterday which (once again) proves that people outside their sphere of knowledge (excellence) are clueless. See also the late Dr Hawking and his Leftist views.
His contention is that Britain is still as racist as it ever was:
Firstly, he says he was only taught about (white) British history and not about Grenada where his family emigrated from. Not sure what percentage of black Briton's hail from Grenada but I'm pretty sure it's less than those of Jamaica. But why even teach kids Jamaican history? This is Britain so we teach our history. If you want history about Grenada/Jamaica then go to school there.
He then went on to say that motor racing is quite closed to non-whites because of racism (not many black faces in the paddock) and he is doing more to encourage kids into the sport. Fair play - if he puts his time/money where his mouth is then fine.
However, he then goes on to say the British GP is the best on the calendar, the fans are the most knowledgeable and friendly and he gets inspired to perform even better than usual.
Great, but shouldn't the racist, all whitey, British crowd be booing the black kid on the podium if we are as racist as he says?
At least he does not wear one of those t-shirts with 'This is What A Feminist Looks Like' across it.
‘He then went on to say that motor racing is quite closed to non-whites because of racism (not many black faces in the paddock)...’
US basket ball at professional level is quite closed to Whites because of racism (not many white faces on the court)...’
Next.
Who is leading the F1 Championship?
It has been demonstrated that most Europeans contain some Neanderthal DNA and that many East Asians contain some Denisovan DNA. so it is a LIE that we are all descended solely from some East Africans.
Given that migration in Britain seems to primarily be from west to east of the eras, I would think the final sentence should be "don't let the English over the border"!