What if the socioeconomic disparities between racial groups in Brazil are not merely or exclusively a matter of unequal opportunities, social exclusion, or "historical legacies"????
(And this is far from being the case only in Brazil...)
https://www.portaliede.com.br/estudo-do-iede-mostra-diferenca-de-desempenho-entre-alunos-brancos-e-pretos/
This is an interesting study showing that, across the entire country, racial disparities in academic performance remain consistent: as a group, self-identified white students achieved more satisfactory results¹ than self-identified Black students (a category that includes *pardos*—mixed-race individuals—in line with the "woke" trend adopted by many traditional Brazilian institutions: embracing bourgeois-leftist ideas, such as arbitrarily eliminating the *pardo*/mixed-race category and subsuming it into the Black racial category, perhaps to stoke antagonism toward self-identified whites)... It is also noteworthy that, despite extensive data and certain details² that merely replicate findings from studies in other countries³, the researchers' conclusion was strictly subservient to the totalitarian political correctness prevalent in higher education...
It is worth noting that these results confirm what has been consistently found in many previous studies. Therefore, this is not an isolated finding; rather, it aligns perfectly with the body of data and evidence accumulated on the subject—evidence robust enough to support a verdict that is, at the very least, partially conclusive.
The data reveal not only a significant advantage held by one group over the other but also that, when social class is introduced as an additional comparative factor, this advantage becomes even more pronounced. They show that, starting from the same socioeconomic level, the higher-performing ("white") group maintains its lead over the other ("black") group; furthermore, individuals from the first group at a lower socioeconomic level perform similarly to those from the second group at a higher level. This finding contradicts one of the key tenets of "social theories" championed by academics ideologically aligned with the Left—namely, that social status has a direct, long-term impact on the prevalence of behaviors labeled "dysfunctional" or "deficient," such as poor academic performance. After all, if this factor were the sole or primary driver, "black" students from a higher social class should, on average, demonstrate academic performance equal to or better than that of "white" students at the same social level. Yet, the data show something else: "black" students in favorable socioeconomic circumstances perform—on average, or as a group—similarly to "white" students in less favorable socioeconomic circumstances...
So, what is the most realistic (objective and impartial) conclusion we can reach?
...that the egalitarian leftist thesis—which attributes these differences exclusively to social, historical, or cultural factors while consistently denying biological or intrinsic ones—is fundamentally flawed... That perhaps the cause is not merely "structural racism," "oppression," or the "legacy of slavery," but rather that certain groups, on average, possess greater cognitive capabilities than others—regardless of whether ''one group' has a history of oppressing the other, and even if this unequal power dynamic actually reflects those very differences (much as humans judge other species based on their own superior intelligence). Furthermore, acknowledging this reality as it stands is neither immoral nor "racist," provided that scientific truth—empirical, impartial, and objective—takes precedence over moral postulates. Indeed, a system of morality can only be correctly constructed when based on evidence and facts; truth is the only possible way to systematize the practice of justice. For if we persist in believing that the only way to combat racial and social inequalities is through "historical reparations" and wealth redistribution—attributing the issues to abstractions—it is highly likely that, in the medium to long term, such measures will fail to definitively solve the problem of inequality and might even exacerbate it. After all, welfare-style measures for the poor typically overlook the fact that poverty is not merely a structural issue but also a cognitive and psychological one—and thus largely intractable through superficial interventions, such as providing perfect schooling conditions to students from lower socioeconomic strata, if their—on average—inferior performance is not solely or primarily due to their socioeconomic conditions or environments (especially given that there are students at the same social level who demonstrate excellent academic performance, not to mention the minority of "Black" students and/or those of......from the "lower class" who demonstrate performance levels satisfactorily similar to their "white" and/or "upper-class" peers...
# There are exceptions to this rule where a scientific truth does not always have to override a moral postulate. For instance, consider a hypothetical empirical finding that the majority of prisoners who commit heinous crimes possess excellent potential for rehabilitation... Even if science were to prove this, the morally just course of action is for them to remain imprisoned for many years, or even to face the harshest penalty of all: the death penalty.
- Take the example here, if it were discovered that a primary cause of racial disparities in socioeconomic indicators lies in psycho-cognitive differences between ethnic groups, using this as a justification to halt social measures aimed at combating extreme inequality would be problematic. This is especially true if the goal is not merely to promote meritocratic measures—rewarding the most capable—but also to avoid punishing those less capable in specific technical areas; if, in both cases, these differences do not simply reflect a matter of choice, then the punishment is literally unjust—much like curtailing women's physical freedom simply because they are, on average, physically weaker than men...
Beyond the moral factor involved—which need not rely on a religion appealing to metaphysical forces or an ideology that distorts "hard" facts to peddle "white lies"—it is perfectly possible, through wisdom or philosophy in its purest sense, to advocate for combating extreme inequalities based on the following arguments: the essentially fictitious nature of (financial) mathematics; and the essentially equal nature of all forms of life, highlighting first and foremost the essential equality of human life; ...and the essentially parasitic nature of an economic system in which one class exploits others for its own benefit—constituting a social system that is clearly contrary to meritocracy—it is only fair that those who keep society functioning at its very foundation also be granted sufficient rights and earnings to live with dignity, enjoying easy access to both material and non-material amenities...
* Whether it is truly a problem that group X shows average performance levels distinct from group Y, or if what matters most is whether these differences are causing serious social issues—such as racial disparities in the propensity for irrationally antisocial behavior...
Some details not shown in the primary study referenced here, nor in the secondary study used for corroboration (which demonstrates that these findings tend to be replicated in other countries using large, representative samples):
- If the "Black" category created by the IBGE—which lumps together those who self-identify as Black and those who self-identify as *pardo* (mixed-race/brown)—were broken down and the two groups reclassified into their own distinct categories, it is highly probable that the disparities in academic performance would be even greater. This is suggested by studies in other countries (such as the US and Europe) showing significant gaps between racial groups defined by less subjective criteria—like ancestry and phenotype—rather than mere self-identification. Furthermore, based on comparative results observed elsewhere (for instance, the performance gap between "Hispanics"—a predominantly mixed-race group—and "African Americans" in the US), it is likely that the *pardo* group would achieve better results than the Black group; - If the definition of "whiteness" in Brazil were not limited merely to self-identification, it is highly likely that Brazilians who are white by phenotype—and even by a predominance of European (or Caucasian) ancestry—would show an even better average academic performance than those classified solely by self-identification...
- If the categories of "East Asians," Jews, and people of Lebanese descent were used for comparison, it is highly likely that they would demonstrate superior performance compared to self-identified "whites" and the politically manipulated category of "Blacks"...
Therefore, the egalitarian—and pseudoscientific—belief that social and historical differences are always the primary cause of disparities between individuals and human groups, when accepted as scientific fact, can lead a city, state, or nation to adopt policies based on this misconception. This can trigger a chain of problematic consequences—as has indeed occurred, for instance, when a country decides to open its borders to mass immigration while disregarding the fact that human groups tend to exhibit cognitive and psychological differences that cannot be resolved through superficial measures, and that, in the medium to long term, this influx of "new residents" may exacerbate social problems, such as rising violence, cultural conflicts, and an exponential decline in average technical skill levels...of their ethnically "diverse" or altered populations... Beyond failing to eliminate poverty or extreme inequalities in the immigrants' countries of origin, it also complicates the host countries' capacity to absorb these migratory flows and affects their own social stability...
In Brazil's case, the adoption of education-focused measures—based on the belief that "education" works true miracles on the intelligence of individuals and groups, such as the idea that intelligence can be boosted simply through so-called "quality education"—ignores the fact that we possess intrinsic mental characteristics (such as cognitive abilities and personality traits) that are not merely reflections of the environments or circumstances in which we live and interact. Consequently, rather than accepting the reality of the Brazilian people's true cognitive potential (on average), measures that disregard this fact fail to solve the academic deficit—and may even exacerbate it. Realistically speaking, the only way to begin resolving this problem in the medium to long term involves not only fostering a culture that values knowledge acquisition and high-level artistic achievement—something we currently lack—but also establishing mechanisms that are (and I apologize to those who might be easily upset by this) tacitly eugenic in nature: specifically, incentivizing high fertility among the "most intelligent" while disincentivizing it among the "least intelligent." As I have proposed elsewhere, this would entail offering advantages to those encouraged to have more children (though not an excessive number) and to those encouraged to have fewer (one or two). Other necessary measures include detoxifying the population from "anti-racist" or anti-white brainwashing by teaching people—especially those of European descent—that taking pride in one's own ethnicity is neither a crime nor a sin (provided this does not lead to generalized, unjust hatred toward other ethnicities). This approach would also serve to preserve the racial and existential integrity of the country's "most intelligent" groups, in addition to... encourage the "most intelligent" individuals from the "least intelligent" groups to marry one another and have more offspring. And frankly, I do not view any of this as an affront to true human rights... {I have also proposed elsewhere that, regarding the real risk of extinction for European ethnic groups, those who wish to preserve their physical and behavioral phenotypes should take the lead in this goal—defending the right to freedom of association—without needing to infringe upon the basic rights of those who lack this motivation}...
Demonstrating that racial or ethnic groups exhibit biological differences in behavior and intelligence does not mean that "true" racism must be normalized. Accepting a "harder" or "harsher" truth—one often obscured by hegemonic ideological conditioning—does not imply that one should act cruelly as a result. Clarifying a fact generally means expanding knowledge and awareness, not the opposite. Just as we can accept the reality of human races or ethnicities and their differences—recognizing that they are not merely reflections of culture or environment—we can also grasp a range of other truths that make this reality less "harsh." For instance, we can consider the complex nature of human intelligence, understanding that an individual who is "less intelligent" in certain areas may still be intelligent in others, or that being "less intelligent" in one regard does not mean they lack intelligence altogether. In our daily lives, we can see that human intelligence is not limited to writing "correctly" or solving math problems, even though these skills are very important... Accepting this fact does not mean we must generalize about groups, especially since these differences are primarily statistical. It does not mean these gaps cannot be narrowed, or that groups scoring lower on intelligence metrics cannot improve their performance over time. However, such genuine improvement will not come about simply by putting more books into schools in underprivileged areas...
Accepting that our mental traits are not entirely shaped by the environment—nor completely malleable through targeted stimuli—need not lead to a fatalistic determinism, where we believe we are doomed never to change or improve anything about ourselves. ...ourselves—not merely in terms of limitations, but also potential. Yet, this potential is shaped by our limitations—a fact that is not necessarily negative, given that it is better to know who we are and the extent of our reach than to deceive ourselves with illusions. This truth—regarding the primarily hereditary and intrinsic nature of our mental traits—could also prompt the school system, for instance, to rethink punishments for poor performance, without this implying a systematic disregard for academic achievement and......and to the social behavior of the student body. If science—in its actual practice and when contextualized regarding behavior and intelligence—inexorably leans toward the reality of biology’s predominance over these factors, then a teaching method truly based on empirical evidence must accept this. This need not diminish the teacher's importance, even though a shift in role is inevitable: moving from "builder" of others' intellects to instructor...
¹ ...figures show that across all Brazilian states—regardless of the subject assessed (Portuguese Language or Mathematics) or the grade level (5th or 9th grade of elementary/middle school)—there is a significant disparity in the percentage of white versus Black students achieving adequate learning levels.
In the 5th grade, regarding Portuguese Language, 65.1% of white students demonstrate adequate learning, whereas the figure for Black students is 40.3%. The states showing the widest gaps between the two groups are Amazonas, Rio Grande do Norte, Roraima, and Amapá. In Amazonas, even by the 5th grade, white students outperform Black students by nearly 100% (50.8% with adequate learning versus 25.5%).
In Mathematics, student performance is generally lower, yet the racial disparity persists: 55.8% of white students achieve adequate learning in the subject, compared to 31.2% of Black students. In Mathematics, in addition to Amazonas and Rio Grande do Norte, highly significant disparities appear in Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso, Santa Catarina, and Paraíba. In these states, the gap between white and Black students exceeds 70%.
In the 9th grade, regarding Portuguese Language, white students outperform Black students by 68.2% (46% with adequate learning versus 27.4%). In Mathematics, the greatest disparity is observed at this stage: 25.8% of white students demonstrate adequate learning compared to 11.9% of Black students—a difference reaching 116.4%.
² In both years assessed and across both subjects, significant differences exist even when students belong to the same socioeconomic group: for instance, in Mathematics, among students of high socioeconomic status, 34.4% of white students demonstrate adequate learning, compared to 17.3% of Black students (a difference of 98.8%). Among those of low socioeconomic status, the figures are 15.8% versus 8% (a difference of 98%). ³ https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/prc/our-research/prc-research-brief-series/education-work-and-institutions/continuing-racial-disparities-in-academic-achievement.html
Translated
"Using data on children living with women included in the *National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979*, the authors present results regarding the math and reading performance of children aged 5–6, 9–10, and 13–14 over a 20-year period (1986–2005). The children were divided into six groups: Black, Hispanic, and White children from families with income at or below 100% of the federal poverty threshold (poor students), and Black, Hispanic, and White children from families with income above the poverty line (non-poor students).
Key Findings
Non-poor White children consistently outperformed non-poor Black and Hispanic students—from early childhood through high school, in both reading and math—between 1986 and 2005.
The academic performance gap between non-poor White students and non-poor Black students widened.
In contrast, the academic performance gap between non-poor White students and non-poor Hispanic students narrowed.
Furthermore, non-poor Black students performed worse than poor White students at almost all time points analyzed.
Similarly, poor White children consistently outperformed their poor Black and Hispanic peers—from early childhood through high school, in reading and math—over the 20-year period.
The performance gap between poor White students and their poor Black peers widened over time and appears to increase after early childhood.
The performance gap between poor White students and their peers" ...among poor Hispanics also persisted over time and increased among children of middle-school age (upper elementary/junior high years).
Poverty has a more detrimental effect on the academic performance of non-white children compared to their white peers.
Given that even white students from poor families outperform their poor Black and Hispanic peers, these findings suggest that the higher income—on average—of non-poor white families compared to non-poor Black and Hispanic families does not fully explain the racial/ethnic disparities in academic performance.