Racism is defined as “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior”.

The most common example of racism is when people of one skin colour think they are superior to people of another skin colour.

But deep down it is not really the difference in skin colour but rather the difference in culture that we perceive and experience as a problem. Why?

People of other cultures many times do things differently than us and to us this is strange and in many cases we even fear it. Why do they do things differently?

Originally, when there were much less people on earth, they were living in geographically separated groups that made their own rules and determined their own values according to the lessons their ancestors learnt from life. As the world population grew people started to come into contact with members of other groups and we realized that other people did things differently – sometimes threatening or disrespecting our way. And especially if we valued something they feel were not that important (perhaps because they valued something else of higher value!), we believed we were superior. A simple example can be that my culture considers looking a stranger in the eye as respectful while yours may consider it as disrespectful. I may see nothing wrong with suggesting improvements to my boss while in your culture the boss does not appreciate such feedback. In my culture my rights as individual are more important than those of my group while in yours it may be the other way round. There are many, many differences like these between cultures.

We are all programmed to protect ourselves and our loved ones from danger. Anything we perceive as threatening, we fear. We see the way other cultures value or do not value what our culture regards as a value as a threat to our existence. Sometimes we just frown upon their way of living and think by ourselves that one day they will realize that our way of living is right or better.

Although cultures may express detail values differently, all cultures of the world value the same 8 core human values:

1. Love / Compassion
2. Truth / Integrity
3. Freedom
4. Fairness / Justice
5. Community / Family
6. Respect / Tolerance
7. Responsibility
8. Reverence for Life

These global values are basically also enshrined in our Constitution which provides the foundational values that all people of South Africa should subscribe to. Government writes laws on top of the constitution that further defines the values and rules all of us as South Africans have to abide by. This is done so that we have one common set of core values in order for us to be able to live together in harmony. Here and there the details of these laws may differ from what our parents and cultural group have told us when we grew up. But to be able to work together as a team we have to abide by them. 

So our different religions, cultures, laws and even our own personal values may not always agree, but inherently it all expresses the 8 core human values. And understanding that fact makes a big difference in our tolerance towards members of other cultural groups and skin colour.

If we want to live in peace together in South Africa, we have to address racism and our differences. One very important thing that we can build upon, is that most South Africans share their faith in God. That is a good starting point of values that most of us respect. 

The secret of living together as South Africans is:

1. To know that all peoples of the world share the same 8 core values.
2. Then to understand that we and our different cultures sometimes implement these core values differently although ultimately with the same 8 core values in mind. No culture is superior to the other – each has something to contribute to the secret of life.
3. Then try to identify the common values you may share with others like, for example, our love of God, our children or our country.
4. Then try to understand why the details of how we and our cultures implement or express the core values could be different and to accept that we are different. Respect each person and culture for that.  By trying to learn and understand more of the cultures of my fellow South Africans and by the love and grace of our God we can accept and respect each other as fellow compatriots.

So go out and meet other South Africans of different colour and culture. Go to their sports events, parties, churches and social media groups and start growing your understanding of them. Only time and making the effort to understand our differences, will eventually make it possible for us to create a new South African culture that can be an example to the world.