Embracing Diversity: What defines us surely can’t divide us?

Summary

The article reflects on the challenge of discrimination and the importance of embracing diversity as a means to overcome societal divisions.

Abstract

The article delves into the societal challenge of discrimination, emphasizing that while significant events like George Floyd's death spark movements for change, these movements often fade without completely eradicating discrimination. It suggests that the root of the problem lies in our approach to diversity; we celebrate what makes us unique, yet these same attributes become points of division. The author ponders whether a world devoid of individuality, as depicted in Ayn Rand's "Anthem," would be desirable and questions the origin of the concept of "superiority" among diverse human characteristics. Drawing from Kahlil Gibran's wisdom, the article suggests that self-reflection can reveal our own biases. While uncertain if discrimination can be fully cured, the author advocates for education that fosters respect and value for differences from a young age. The article concludes that while movements like BlackLivesMatter play a crucial role in raising awareness, the true revolution starts with individual change.

Opinions

Discrimination is a deep-rooted issue that persists despite movements advocating for change.
Fighting only the symptoms of discrimination, rather than its core, is insufficient for achieving lasting change.
Diversity is what makes humanity unique, and it should be a source of pride rather than division.
The notion of superiority over others based on characteristics like race or wealth is a flawed concept that disrupts the harmony of diversity.
Education should focus on nurturing respect and kindness, rather than just intellectual prowess.
Individual self-reflection is necessary to confront and overcome personal biases.
Lasting change in societal attitudes towards diversity must begin with each person's commitment to embrace differences.
Movements like BlackLivesMatter are instrumental in accelerating the spread of awareness and fostering widespread, permanent change.

Embracing Diversity: What defines us surely can’t divide us?

The unfortunate incidents of May 25, 2020 brought to the fore an age-old fundamental challenge that discrimination of any kind poses to humanity. The trouble is, that when all is said and done, George Floyd may go down as another name that sparked a wave of movements that promised to change the world for the better, but faded away into oblivion with the passage of time. The world has seen its fair share of individual revolutionaries and mass movements, each fighting for a different cause, but none that can claim to have uprooted completely the evil that they fought against.

The problem is that we continue to fight the symptoms but it is practically impossible to cure the disease by attacking the symptoms. What defines us and makes us unique is the very thing that divides us. Imagine a world with no color, caste, creed, religion, countries or any form of individuality has been eliminated, much like Ayn Rand’s Anthem — is a world like that desirable? Surely you couldn’t discriminate against another that is almost identical to yourself in all aspects, but is there then a point to existence without identity and individuality? Isn’t it the diversity of mankind that defines us? Don’t we all take pride in who we are — as unique individuals that then share certain common characteristics and take pride in identifying with that community. In fact, doesn’t each characteristic owe its uniqueness to the existence of the opposite other? Isn’t white unique only because of the existence of black, don’t we aspire to be rich because poverty exists?

Where then did the notion of “superiority” sneak into the beautiful co-existence of all these differences and characteristics that define us and make us unique? A part of my favorite quote from Kahlil Gibran says “I despised my soul when she despised the ugliness of a face, and knew not that it was one of her own masks.” Isn’t that true today more than ever?

But is this disease of discrimination curable today or have we come to the point of no return? The answer to that I do not know. What I do think is required is to tackle this at the root — for each of us to raise our children in a way that they learn to embrace one another for who they are and learn to value and respect the differences, as our differences are what define us and make us who we are. Education is not and should not be about being the smartest person you can be, but the nicest human being you can be. And like all big revolutions, the change begins with each one of us. What movements like BlackLivesMatter will do is just amplify and raise this awareness more rapidly, and hopefully one of these days, it will spread wide and deep enough to bring a lasting, permanent change.

Procrastinator, thinker, fitness enthusiast, aspiring philanthropist, loving husband, doting dad and finance professional View all posts by The M@ver!ck

Published

Originally published at http://themaverickfiles.com on July 14, 2020.