Equality is a myth, and the
quest for it is unattainable. This is true because there is no standard
ruler to measure equality. Equality is in the eye of the beholder, and just
like beauty is very subjective.
We often confuse ourselves
unnecessarily with equality, when we should really concentrate on the pursuit
of happiness. Equality is a “them” thing, while happiness is a “me” thing. We
can't control them but we can always control me.
Think about it. As adults when we have a serious decision to make, and we're talking to a friend or associate about it. We often use the qualifier "all things being equal..." We do this because no two opportunities or consequences can be the same/EQUAL. If they were the same then there would only be ONE and consequently no decision to be made.
Inequality is standard...so
why do we bristle at it so much? It's because we wrestle with the word
“fairness” way too often. For some reason we're taught as children that
fairness is good, and that treating people fairly is proper. Then we're thrust
into a world that is replete with unfairness, and it's a total shock to the
system. We believe children are innocents so we speak to them in very innocent
vanilla terms. We give them utopian ideas that are useless in a dystopian
world. We set them up for failure.
Nowhere is this failure
more obviously than in American race relations. Equal is a math term so no
wonder numbers are constantly being used to prove inequality. The most
prevelent data point is wages where blacks make less than whites on average,
but no one tells you that asians make more that whites because that will skew
the narrative. The 2 major functions of wage is education, and
entreprenuership, but those aren't sexy topics. So we argue about equality of
wages without discussing the root cause of it. Think about it..It's never going
to be the SAME for everyone. If everyone made the same wage would there still be
inequality? Why yes...of course...because there is no such thing as EQUALITY.
People can't be equal
because we all are one of one. We fight for something that is impossible to
obtain, and in many cases we make the good the enemy of the (unachievable)
perfect. Think about it. Do you think all white people are treated equally?
Think about it. In your home you have siblings that are better and worse than
you, and more importantly your parents treat you all differently on an
individual basis...so why would you expect more from a country, than your very
own family?
Think about it. Most of the
inequality/injustice that creates true outrage is within law enforcement. Over the last 10 years,
save the Trayvon Martin shooting (quasi-law enforcement), and the Church
Massacre in Charleston, all the inequality that America has had a visceral
reaction to has been due to law enforcement. Truths are muddied during law
enforcement encounters because law enforcement usually doesn't show up in
places without invitation from citizens. Interpersonal disagreements that require law enforcements intervention never end well.
Not sure about you, but as a
person that has assimilated... my run-ins with law enforcement are few and far
between. I don't put myself in situations that law enforcement has to decide my
fate. I understand that law enforcement is primative so I strive to avoid
sub-optimal encounters.
Listen. I live in America. I
know that in America people have differing perspectives about everything
including race. I know it's often a harder life for people of color. As a black man I'm keenly aware of that but I also understand
that in 2018 I'm free in America. I can wake up in the morning, and leave the
home I've bought, get in the car I've bought, drive to the bank and withdraw
money from my account, and drive anywhere I want to in this country with NO
obstacle. Could I encounter neanderthal jerks on my journey?...of course. But I
live in a country where it's not illegal to be that. And I'm okay with that.
Just don't interrupt my ability to do commerce and pursue legal happiness and
you can be whatever you choose to be.
