Is Inequality Good?
I did smile listening to this as he is a white guy and I doubt he has lived in poverty or experienced discrimination which rendered him unequal. What he doesn’t see is that these walls (unlike the proposed Mexican wall – same thing really) are invisible. It is when you are excluded on the basis of some characteristic that evaluates if you are IN or OUT. Your family situation molds you, your culture, colour, language, gender, age, disability, physical looks even will be silent dividers that map out your future as opportunities appear and disappear based on how others determine who and what you are and the value they have been taught to identify.
There is no mistake that a woman has had more difficulty breaking through the glass ceiling. I have undertaken research here and it is clear men and women think differently. If a woman has kids she is seen as unavailable to work long hours and saliently excluded. Men may unconsciously choose other men to work with as they relate. They may not relate to a person from Africa with a great CV as they fear difference. Conservative people are not open to diversity as they feel uncomfortable. If they are raised in the so-called upper class they will identify by which school you went to, who you know and your career path. Others, no matter their merit will be excluded or screened.
Equality is really about fairness, it is about weighing things up and ensuring an outcome that is based on values and ethics. The real values gives all an equal chance and is self aware. Many are not self aware but unconsciously driven by cues and programs that are unquestioned. So I do love this man in his innocence believing inequality is good. When he finds himself buying a $1 coffee as he can’t afford to go buy a regular flat white, or if he lives in his car as he can’t afford rent as the area he has skills in is no longer required in the society and it costs money to re-train, or perhaps he notices people look at him differently when they realise he has no job, wife or people who support him. He will be surprised at how his identity is really about status not who he really is. That is when you have a real awakening to how we all are judged. This is the door that opens or closes depending on the judgement.
For myself I have used my experience of homelessness and unemployment to continue to pursue my passion, to continue to explore inequality, unemployment and homelessness as I seek for solutions. I am a person who is highly motivated, highly skilled and have tried many ways to bring in my work but realised it is due to the mindsets of the society normalized that has been the closed door. I understand but I have to walk my own path, I can’t just turn up as others think I should. My happiness depends on myself following myself and not judging results. I regard kindness, authenticity, integrity as success – those who believe it is all about money and judge, discriminate, hurt others will experience an emptiness as they can never be satisfied or at peace, that is why they keep trying to get bigger and bigger. It is like an addiction to power where their identity is wrapped around an unreal image of who they are. That of course is choice and I understand that given the media, universities, business community and many others push a model of success. However, we may want to consider that the ecological systems are collapsing, families falling apart, people taking drugs, anti-depressants and plugging in to escape life. People may want to note we are losing community and a sense of belonging. There are many things that money cannot buy, it cannot buy love of self or others.
The next blog you will find interesting. But by all means live the way you want, believe what you want if it serves you. Given we are all one, you may find inequality returns to you through your family and changing economic conditions where the prosperous 1960s will never return for the many. Our world is indeed changing.
I did hear the words ‘greed is good’ when I saw this heading. That is the delusion in my view.
Let’s watch the trailer trading places first. This is the story where Winthorp (wealthy executive) and Valentine (street guy) were switched by two wealthy old guys made a $1 bet to see how their lives would change. So playing with the lives of them. But the game was found out. So let’s have a quick squiz. The point is anyone can be reduced to desperation when they lose everything. We are equal in that we all suffer equally from exclusion, it is never kind or good. The first two videos given an insight. The last one is a legitimate talk where the speaker believes inequality is good. In truth it is the cause of all conflict in the world.