Race of the Future

Ursula K. Le Guin’s Terrans are almost all of mixed race descent, yet nonetheless show a high degree of racist mentality. Be it towards the Athsheans (derogatorily termed Creechies) or towards each other, the novel transplants the sort of racist ideology that would look out of place in the modern world into the far future. 

No better is this conveyed than in the character of Davidson. Amongst his chauvinistic, militaristic and myriad other negative traits, Davidson despises the Athsheans and distrusts his fellow Terrans. Furthermore, he believes himself superior due to his ‘euraf’ (European and African) heritage. Davidson’s race is curious in that, being of African and European descent, the reader would imagine him to be inclined against racism. Nonetheless, Davidson voices his distrust of 'Asiatics' on numerous occasions. In Le Guin’s universe, rather than resulting in a unity of Terran  peoples, the mixing of races simply divided the Terran race as a whole along new lines. Age-old bigotry remains intact.  

If Davidson's suspicions about his fellow Terrans are bigoted, his attitudes towards the  Athsheans are utterly repugnant. Superiority mixed with contempt, even outright hatred, summarize his feelings as regards the 'Creechies'. Such attitudes are virtually the same as those a 19th century Dutch or English colonist on the Bushveldt would see the native Matebele, Xhosa, or Zulu; colonialist without the veneer of a 'civilizing mission'.

Le Guin presents assumptions of superiority of one’s own group over others as innate to human (or rather, Terran) nature. Even in a place far removed from earth in time and space, some human beings remain incapable of overcoming their fear and hatred of the ‘other'. The and fear and hatred by a few, as demonstrated in the climactic events of the book, lead to dire consequences for the many.