An article by Saltzman discussed the complexity being created between "difference" and "diversity." The two, of course, are inseparable; diversity implies difference. But when one demands equity despite difference and diversity, it gets tricky.
This is from it.
Diversity is alleged to be valuable in and of itself, a broadening and enriching of knowledge and experience.
While sex, race, sexuality, and ethnic diversity are the objects of the highest approbation, any consideration of differences between sexes, races, sexualities, and ethnic groups is condemned and strictly forbidden. Any statement indicating differences is assumed to be invidious, praising one and demeaning the other. Even where differences do imply value judgments, such as in academic performance or crime rates, it is now forbidden to mention them. In other words, we love diversity, but hate differences.
The driver of this enthusiasm for diversity is the overriding obsession with equality, specifically equality of outcomes or results. “Social justice” is defined as equality for all categories, without consideration of differences between categories. And it is true that equality is one of the main values of modern Western civilization, and of American and Canadian culture. But, traditionally, it has been one of a number of important values, which include freedom, prosperity, justice, order, achievement, creativity, and beauty. Where there are conflicts between values, as for example between equality and freedom, compromises have been sought and established but continue to be contested in political areas.
But for “social justice” advocates, which means just about every institution, equality of outcomes overrides any other consideration, and other values are rejected as sexist, racist, “male supremacist,” and “white nationalist.” For “social justice” advocates, statistical disparities between members of sex, race, sexuality, and ethnicity census group categories are proof of bigotry and discrimination; no other possible causes of the disparities are considered or investigated.
Diversity is alleged to be valuable in and of itself, a broadening and enriching of knowledge and experience.
While sex, race, sexuality, and ethnic diversity are the objects of the highest approbation, any consideration of differences between sexes, races, sexualities, and ethnic groups is condemned and strictly forbidden. Any statement indicating differences is assumed to be invidious, praising one and demeaning the other. Even where differences do imply value judgments, such as in academic performance or crime rates, it is now forbidden to mention them. In other words, we love diversity, but hate differences.
The driver of this enthusiasm for diversity is the overriding obsession with equality, specifically equality of outcomes or results. “Social justice” is defined as equality for all categories, without consideration of differences between categories. And it is true that equality is one of the main values of modern Western civilization, and of American and Canadian culture. But, traditionally, it has been one of a number of important values, which include freedom, prosperity, justice, order, achievement, creativity, and beauty. Where there are conflicts between values, as for example between equality and freedom, compromises have been sought and established but continue to be contested in political areas.
But for “social justice” advocates, which means just about every institution, equality of outcomes overrides any other consideration, and other values are rejected as sexist, racist, “male supremacist,” and “white nationalist.” For “social justice” advocates, statistical disparities between members of sex, race, sexuality, and ethnicity census group categories are proof of bigotry and discrimination; no other possible causes of the disparities are considered or investigated.
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