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Originally Posted by scaeagles
I'm sure there are various cultural things, but i'm pretty culturally ignorant. The bagels and lox - wouldn't even cross my mind. The hispanic speaking spanish - probably, but I wouldn't assume they didn't speak English.
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I simply picked a couple examples. Your mileage may vary. The point being we all make certain immediate assumptions based on very limited information on a person (whether it's their race, their mannerisms, their clothing) that gives us a starting point to then build a more complete picture. The don't all have to fall into the "someone would be offended if they knew I assumed this" category.
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Is making an assumption about such things being observant or being racist? I guess it's a fine line.
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Like I said (twice), making assumptions is not racist. It's hardwired into our brain and is what allows us to be social beings (and likely allowed us to survive prehistorically, as that kind of pattern recognition helps avoid dangerous situations). It's erroneously using those assumptions as a be-all guide for actions and decission making that carries one into the realm of racism.