January 25, 2006
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Socretes Cafe Topic#31: If human beings are all considered to be equal, then how do we act equally in social terms?
An American value; “..All men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
This value has been reinterpreted many times, sometimes to exclude certain groups (Blacks, Indians, Women, etc.) and sometimes to open the equality door to the previously excluded. One constant however seems to be the CREATED part which excuses a lot of the inequality we see around us. We tend to think that those who are NOT equal by virtue of being poor, handicapped, unemployed, homeless, whatever; have themselves to blame because they obviously did not take advantage of society's generous offers and opportunities.
Another part of our interpretation of this value is that we tend to think of it in legal terms - equality under the law- or in terms of opportunity - we have free public education, after all. If it turns out that schools and laws are not equal, we feel real bad and scurry around trying to fix the problem so that we can continue to blame the inequalities on the “less equal” themselves.
This allows us to come to terms with the fact of social inequality which, interestingly enough, is defined by the very culture that abhors it.
All cultures have some form of social stratification based on Religion (India), Ancestors ( I suppose European Aristocracy), Wealth or worldly possessions (most of the cultures), Education (ancient china), and Intelligence and Competence almost always have a part ot play. In our society, physical prowess and beauty have important roles in establishing status as well as almost all these other attributes I’ve mentioned.
For a culture with the “Equality” value, we spend a awful amount of time deciding what makes us unequal. I suppose that’s because we also have a “Competition” value.
Comments (18)
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Interesting. You picked a difficult subject to explore. I think one of the problems is that the premise that we were all created equal is not correct. To mention just one difference that will certainly impact our ability to rise to the challenges of life, some people are born with genius IQs and some are born -- let's see, what is the politically correct term to use -- mentally challenged? I do believe strongly that we should treat people as individuals, and give them equal opportunities, but we don't all start the same place.
Interesting perspective on the subject. Do you feel that the value of competition, one person trying to come out above all others, is inconsistent with the value of equality?
very well put
Your point about competition is very interesting. We are very focused on that in our culture, aren't we? Who has the biggest car, house, bank account, diamond ring, etc.? Why is that?
With all our rhetoric about equality, is equality really what we want in the US? We spend a lot of money on public assistance. Does that really help people become independent and improve their lives, or does it foster dependence?
You seem to be saying that we tend to hold people responsible for their lot in life, which I think is true. Are we pushing people down instead of trying to lift them up?
"Are People Responsible For Their Lot In Life?" might be a pretty good topic for discussion.
Do you think individuals in America are responsibe for their own situation and fate? Even New Orleans refugees?
Well, come to think about it they were dumb enough to: a.Live below sea level. b. Believe the politicians who told them is was OK, that they had nothing to worry about.
How bout crack babies?
Hmm. Crack babies really have no control over their situation. There are times when adults don't either, for instance, if they are in unavoidable accidents or have catastrophic illnesses. I do think, though, that more of what happens to us is caused by us than we generally like to admit.
You've told me how you percieve social inequality, but I didn't see what you put forth that would change our behavior and eliminate it. What do you think would be adequate steps to remove the stigma from our society?
A friend of mine has a learning disorder. He was given special treatment throughout college, and graduated - then lost his first job cause he wasn't given special treatment anymore, and couldn't properly perform the duties of his job without that same special treatment. Was that really fair to him? Should he have been taught a trade that he could handle, rather than be set up for failure at a career that he can't properly perform because of said disability? It's a tough call.
RYC: Teachers in Cal are treated pretty bad. My ex mother in law was a teacher, and she spent a lot of her own money to buy basic class supplies. Every year, I contribute to my son's school in various ways. It gets really annoying that they always have these fund raisers selling stuff I don't want/need/care to clutter my life with. I always just give money, or buy something specific for the school or a teacher. But, they depend on those fund raisers. It's not an option for them - without the fund raisers, they wouldn't have enough money. The high school district I subbed for was really depressing. I plan to go back there, so I'll try to keep an open mind when I am back. The school I went to yesterday - it was inspiring. I can't wait to work there
RedHairedCelt asks me how I would encourage our society to "practice what it preaches".
Since the problem is rooted in a basic value conflict, that's pretty hard to do. We would have to re-define some of our basic values so as to make the "Equality" value dominant over the "Individualism" and "Competition" values; ideas which we have not only rejected but fought wars over: "That's Marxism, for God's sake!" is just one of the complaints this idea often causes.
What we can and often do, is to try to make opportunity equal in as many areas as the culture will allow, so for example, public schools are funded equally by the states, not solely by communities, and are required to meet certain standards. In legal proceedings, we try to make procedures equal, providing legal help to those who can't afford it, etc.
Of course, these attempts are no more successful than an attempt to impose the same IQ level on everyone would be, but they do express the idea we have that everyone is of equal worth as a citizen and member of our culture - our votes all count the same - well they should anyway.
Ok.OK, points off for excessive irony.
True, I can create life through a biological process. But can I just summon it up out of nowhere? That had to happen somewhere. If you go back far enough down the evolutionary chain, you'll draw a blank. Those first acids that gave rise to life had to come from somewhere. Also, I just feel I have no ownership over my life. Let's say that my father buys me a car in his name (which he probably won't, cheap ass old man as he is) and gives it to me as a gift. It's mine to do with as I see fit, but if I wreck it, I'm going to be the one to suffer. I didn't do anything in my own deeds to get it: my money didn't pay for it, I didn't work every day for my dad. It came by grace. Therefore, I don't own the car, and if you apply it to my theory, I don't own my life.
And yes, we do have free will. But having that free-will won't make us unliable for our actions. I can chose to murder someone, but if I do I've still sinned. We have to have enough willpower to chose freely to do what is right and good in God's eyes. Suicide, in my beliefs, is not.
Being a social worker I definitely see that people are not 'created' equal and it is true that the ones born with little opportunities are often blamed for their lack of ambition etc. how do we act equally in social terms?? It seems having a good national medical system the same (equal in this case ) possibiliy for treatment for everyone would be a start.
I think the reason people often think of equality in legal terms is because to ever reach true equality (pretending, for the moment, that we could all agree on what that is), equal treatment under law is one of the most foundational steps in that process. That is, while I don't know how to solve the example suggested re: the person with the learning disability, I do know that you can't even begin to solve it if the laws are not applied equally. Maybe that person should have gotten a different kind of education, or maybe equality would require continuing the assistance, but if you don't first have a law that says everybody, regardless of disability, race, gender, etc. is entitled to an education, the next questions are irrelevant.
Equal treatment under law is also one of the easier steps towards true equality. Slightly ironic, since equal treatment under law is often actually hard and complicated. But, for example, the Civil Rights Act has improved the way people act more quickly than almost anything else has gotten people to change their personal opinions, or their purely social interactions. That is not to say that the Civil Right Act created true equality even just under law -- we're way, way far away from that.
There is an old song, Little Things Mean A Lot. In light of that phrase, I believe that socially we start to show equality in the little things. Great and respond to people. Be polite. Address everyone by their first name, or as Mr., or Ms. Hold the door for whoever is approaching with you. Sure these are merely good manners, but SOCIALLY it is what we can each do to show respect to everyone. Respect = equality?
GaudyNight's comment brings to mind other laws which, though not directly designed to create equality, do, in effect, help to make us more equal. Specifically, I am thinking of the harassment laws. They are designed to make sure that each of us in comfortable in the workplace and in some other public places. I think that that fosters equality. I also think that it is rather sad that we have to have laws to make it happen. What is your take on that?
I think what you guys are discussing is evidence of the direction our culture WAS changing in. Better schools, equal rights laws, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. The trouble is "That was sooo nineties". Now the direction the culture is going seems to have turned to a tyrannical right, both in treatment of American citizens, who's right to privacy has been pretty severely disturbed, and our treatment of the rest of the world, where torture, detaining innocent relatives of suspects, showing a pretty callous disregard for the opinions (or sovereignty) of other countries, etc.
In terms of social change, I suppose what we have here is a sort of pendulum effect - swings toward the liberal left and the conservative right- but in this electronic age, the time-length of the pendulum has become shorter and shorter and the swings faster and wilder. Where there has been some check on this polarization and extremism, now the very fabric of the system of checks and balances has become disrupted and moral values seem to be somewhat lost.
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