Diversity is not a nice to have. It is a necessity. As our world starts to get smaller and smaller. As distances begin to shrink and people disperse far and wide, we are having to deal with more and more diverse societies. Race, colour, creed, language, culture, relegion, gender, sexual orientation, political persuasion, sports, clubs, associations.... The list keeps going on. We find newer ways to assert our differentiations from the rest of our kind and the categories of differentiation keep increasing.
Why do we create these differences? 'These narrow domestic walls...' Why do we create them? History has shown us that these differences have time and again brought us war, death and destruction. The differences have become more than just a sense of identity and have become a reason for us to group with those who are like us and hate our other fellow human beings, if not hate, at least be suspicious of and apply stereotypes to. All of us have done it - look at someone who is different to us with a negative mindset and stereotype - though we may have repented our actions later.
If these differences are such trouble, why do we keep creating newer differences every day. And, why do those of us that have left our roots and moved to distant lands, hold on to our roots with such fondness. Wasn't the ideal to remove the narrow domestic walls and blend into ONE human kind. One for all. All for one! Hey?! Then why don't we work so hard to keep our differences and be different?
Diversity is a necessity for our species to survive. For life to survive. For this universe to survive. That's why? Diversity is almost a physical law. I am not a scientist to prove it but I am sure some scientist will prove it one day. It is fundamental to the survival of every part of our Universe. The diversity that creates friction amongst us is the same stuff that makes us survive. If you look at it closely, the ecosystem, floa, fauna, seasons, are all examples of things that we cherish seeing variety in. And, it is exactly the same diversity that our species exhibits. Genetic science calls it gene pool.
Beyond the biological diversity, at a social level, without diversity we will simply end up destorying ourselves. Imagine this: If there are atoms of hydrogen, all stuffed together in box 1. Atoms of nitrogen, all stuffed into box 2. Atoms of oxygen, all stuffed into box 3. Molecules of carbon di oxide, all stuffed into box 4. Box 1 = explosive. Box 2 = frozen. Box 3 = combustible. Box 4 = poisonous. Now, lets mix all these gases together and what do we get? Good clean air. Puff! Have a deep breath. Nothing will happen to you or anything placed in this air.
Human organisations are similar to the air that we breathe. Too much of any one type is just plain harmful. All types mixed well, keeps the organisation (like the air) stable and stops us from destroying ourselves!
Diversity is not self actualisation. Diversity is a necessity!
hey..agree with you on the necessity and can think of multiple analogies. a man tends to be a specialist and woman tends to be an all-rounder both of whom are required to make a winning team; the rich need the poor to work on jobs that makes life easier for them and the poor need the rich for tertiary employment opportunities; the developing nations need the developed to learn from systems that work and the developed need the economy and markets of the developing to grow further; if parents teach discipline, grandparents teach morals to the kids and the list goes on. But what prompted this topic?
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