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Yet most of the narratives upon which we have settled continue to essentialize race and gender almost to the exclusion of everything else.

They essentialize the region far too much.

According to the developmental psychologist Susan Gelman, when we “essentialize” social groups, we assume that individual differences can be explained by inherent or inborn characteristics shared by members of that group.

Instead, if we are to focus on the elements of who we are, let us essentialize our formidable capacity for compassion towards each other.

People who are inclined to essentialize the social world tend to believe in the reality of social stereotypes, giving greater meaning to features that are only skin deep.