But Japanese similarly feel superior to those peoples lacking the trait. The shape of the ear lobe is highly variable, from long and detached to short and close. The situation ended in environmental disaster and a bitter race war that exterminated all but one of the long-ears. Racism, or the belief that racial characteristics are an indicator of other factors about the individual, is a reality in the world and in the United States. Ethnic groups tend to hang together, and when the ethnic group is also characterized by a distinctly visible population characteristic, one sees the operation of racism.
People view themselves as a member of some one or more groups.
Whether the group is composed of native indigenous people, individuals of a related population from a distant land who are physically indistinguishable from the rest of the population, or people who share a noticable physical characteristic, the group forms the focal point of the ethnic identity of the individual. Acculturation People with strong ethnic identities often form enclaves within other societies, but their children and grandchildren are often more comfortable with the language and social norms of the host country. Cultural revival Ethnic enclaves may become diffuse with time and acculturation and can sometimes disappear entirely. When multiple groups occupy a single state, a struggle for territorial dominance may ensue. Quebec Separatism is now a very real political movement.