In the present society, people consider "race" being a fundamental classification principle of human relations. Each individual is categorized under one single race. In the minds of people, race has something to do with blood, skin color, and the origins of their ancestors, but when someone has more than one cultural descent, a problem arises, one that is easily solved by deciding on a particular racial identity. .
"The history of the study of human variation is to a large extent the pursuit of those human races- the attempt to identify the small number of fundamentally distinct kinds of people on earth"(Marks, 188). Linnaeus first initiated this search. He categorized humans into the Primate group, and further split up these groups into narrower classifications. As did Linnaeus, we, too, attempt to arrange individuals into groups called races, and divide them according to distinct, perceptible features. However, this perception entails the involvement of biology, and since there is much diversity within fixed groups, the assertion of having a small range of assorted races is not sustained by science discovering that "evidence from the analysis of genetics (e.g. DNA) indicates that there is greater variation within racial groups than between them" (AAA, 5). To a society, the sorting of people might be important, but in my opinion, this conception has been created by dominant figures that seek to conserve and extend their powers and authority. Racial distinction amongst people is a vital mean for dominance. This objective still holds true today, and was instigated by the Europeans and Spanish on their mission to explore and conquer the New World, exploiting the Native Americans and Africans using the system of slavery. .
As far as technology allows us to date back, the mixing of cultures and peoples has always been present. This piece of information allows us to doubt the actual purity of initial races.
