--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Racism seduces us with its desire to…" description: "\"Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.\" — Hilton Als" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg" --- # Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting… ![“Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.” quote by Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg) > “Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.” [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Racism simplifies complex humanity into categories, excluding diversity. **In simple terms:** Racism reduces people to labels, ignoring their full selves. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes and recognize individual complexity. Themes social justice identity prejudice Mood thoughtful urgent Type social critical When to use this quote - workplace hiring - education curricula - media representation - community dialogues Key Concepts Critical race theory humanism Questions to Reflect On - How do categories shape perception? - What steps foster inclusive thinking? A Different Perspective Overcoming deep‑rooted biases is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-different-2515650/) [Categorize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categorize/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Categorize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-categorize-4041243/) [Different world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-world/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism Seduces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-seduces-4041242/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The people who are out to destroy the environment think they're going to get away with it. Are they breathing different air than we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/the-people-who-are-out-to-destroy-the-environment-think-they-re-going/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [“There is a place where I never was before: here breathing is different, and more dazzling than the sun is the radiance of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/there-is-a-place-where-i-never-was-before-here-breathing-is-different/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [People always want to categorize you and say oh, you are in this category, but there is nothing that I limit myself to doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/people-always-want-to-categorize-you-and-say-oh-you-are-in-this/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [To me now, I don't really categorize music - I see music as all one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-hus/to-me-now-i-don-t-really-categorize-music-i-see-music-as-all-one/) [J Hus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-hus/) > [Never categorize yourself: Society does that to you, ..don't do it to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/never-categorize-yourself-society-does-that-to-you-don-t-do-it-to/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [There are two kinds of people: Those who categorize people and those who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-those-who-categorize-people-and-those/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [It seems like -- especially in religious circles and Christian circles, we want to first talk about the things we're opposed to. That means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/it-seems-like-especially-in-religious-circles-and-christian-circles/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I don't categorize characters into one syllable. These are fully-rounded characters that I don't judge; I just play them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-don-t-categorize-characters-into-one-syllable-these-are-fully/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [I think that it's human nature to categorize and label things. That's generally the way that the medical and psychological professions work. You look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/i-think-that-it-s-human-nature-to-categorize-and-label-things-that-s/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [My way of living and working is that I'll do my thing. I went from one thing to another. That annoyed people. They didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/my-way-of-living-and-working-is-that-i-ll-do-my-thing-i-went-from-one/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) > [We categorize as we do because we have the brains and bodies we have and because we interact in the world as we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lakoff/we-categorize-as-we-do-because-we-have-the-brains-and-bodies-we-have/) [George Lakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lakoff/) > [If you can't categorize a film for a studio, it's really difficult for them to wrap their heads around it and give you the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/if-you-can-t-categorize-a-film-for-a-studio-it-s-really-difficult-for/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [It was very important thousands of years ago to categorize things. I can eat that plant, I can't eat that plant. Or this tribe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/it-was-very-important-thousands-of-years-ago-to-categorize-things-i/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I don't categorize things merely to simplify my understanding. I'd rather delve into the process of unlearning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-sharda/i-don-t-categorize-things-merely-to-simplify-my-understanding-i-d/) [Nikhil Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-sharda/) ## More by Hilton Als > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think someone like Khandi Alexander, who's now on 'Treme,' is one of the most extraordinary actresses I've seen in years. But she's dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-someone-like-khandi-alexander-who-s-now-on-treme-is-one-of/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I have not seen 'The Lion King.' I don't do black folklore. And I'm black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-have-not-seen-the-lion-king-i-don-t-do-black-folklore-and-i-m-black/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think you're not really teaching anyone unless you're learning yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-you-re-not-really-teaching-anyone-unless-you-re-learning/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I used to always love taking photos, but I would always give a camera away to someone else. Now I don't give the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-used-to-always-love-taking-photos-but-i-would-always-give-a-camera/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [If I feel like I haven't really tapped into the essence of the story when I do an assignment, I may revisit it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/if-i-feel-like-i-haven-t-really-tapped-into-the-essence-of-the-story/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Inspiration takes many forms, but it's rarely pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/inspiration-takes-many-forms-but-it-s-rarely-pure/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Great sadness can be off putting, hard to comprehend, especially if it hasn't been your experience. It's amazing for me to know now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/great-sadness-can-be-off-putting-hard-to-comprehend-especially-if-it/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think that Tyler Perry's genius really has been to tap into the domestic market. He knows what his audience is based on, having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-tyler-perry-s-genius-really-has-been-to-tap-into-the/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I love Andre Leon Talley as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-love-andre-leon-talley-as-a-person/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I thought of the structure as musical. The first piece, for instance, contains the names/subject matter of every person to come in the book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-thought-of-the-structure-as-musical-the-first-piece-for-instance/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People have a copyright on their own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-have-a-copyright-on-their-own-life/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People are quick to make monuments of anything they live long enough to control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-are-quick-to-make-monuments-of-anything-they-live-long-enough/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I was so well loved by my mother that if people have any expectations of me I really don't notice because I'm hardest on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-was-so-well-loved-by-my-mother-that-if-people-have-any-expectations/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People approach people of color with preconceived ideas. I don't think this is just restricted to white people, but I think that lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-approach-people-of-color-with-preconceived-ideas-i-don-t-think/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Explore all 88 Hilton Als quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) [Marcel Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-williams/) > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hilton Als" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/hilton-als-7671_breathing_racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-cat_466328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world…” — Hilton Als", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hilton Als", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Racism seduces us with its desire...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```