Highlights

Equality or Equalness. Confusion in understanding what each means leads to discontent and envy. Equality can only be of consideration and of opportunity, while Equalness, implying Equalness of condition and outcome can never be. The best that can be done is improve Economic and Social mobility and encourage a better appreciation of Leisure and Family time and, of Security.

Quotations for Consideration

“The defect of equality is that we desire it only with our superiors.” – Henry Beique

“Use (and value) what you possess since the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang the best.” – Henry Van Dyke.

“The circumstances of our lives actually matter less to our happiness than the sense of control we feel over our lives:” – Rory Sutherland

“Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt with is ‘Determinism: the way you play it is Free Will: – Bertrand Russell.

“Above, far above, the prejudices and passions of men soar the laws of Nature. Eternal and immutable, they are the expression of the creative power, they represent what is, what otherwise could not be. Man can come to understand them: he is incapable of changing them.” – Vilfredo Pareto

Key Concepts

The concept of ‘All are Equal’ arises out of a confused aspiration to an ‘Equalness of Condition and of Outcome’. Such ‘Equalness’ lies only in the domain of the Almighty who has not deemed it fit to create all as equals in every way (e.g.: In talents, natural endowments, circumstances or even luck) and attempts to bring everyone to an equal level, whether by getting, or being given what ‘they’ have, or by seeking to bring ‘them’ down to ‘our’ level by some means or the other, will not only be foolish and deplorable but will also, be against all rules of Nature and against the evident will of the Almighty. Seeking Equality amongst Equals is futile and oxy-moronic because there can really be no measure to define Equals.

Attempts to make all ‘Equal’ will call for all capable persons in all fields to be made to carry a handicap to reduce their abilities to the lowest level as it is not possible to reasonably raise that of the lowest performer beyond his ability.

So, our Sports people will no longer try to score more runs or goals or try to attain to ‘Faster, Higher and Stronger’ goals, and our Engineers / Scientists / Thinkers will have to forget all learning and retreat into ‘Stone Age’. Even then where will such a call stop? The Hunters and Toolmakers of this Age would then have to stop using their skills. Soon everybody would be on a never-ending cycle of degrading capability till finally all of humanity would have descended into the slime of so called ‘Equal Creatures’, if such Equalness exists even at that level.

True Equalness is perhaps only attainable by dying. Clearly this is not what we want our Future to be, and hence, all talk of ‘All are Equal’ is misconstrued and irrational.

As A.C.Grayling notes – “The real question, in the face of the many inequalities that exist in the real world is ‘Equality’ between whom, in what respect, and why?”

Equality is a good ideal, resting on a principle of justice, on the grounds that there is no sufficient reason for treating any individual, or group of individuals, differently on grounds of racism, sexism, ageism and other forms of discrimination, or for allowing any of them greater entitlements in any respect above any other individual or group.

Therefore, what we may rightfully demand as ‘Equality for All’ is really only for ‘Equality of Consideration and of Opportunity’ for all to make the best of our abilities and of the circumstances we may be in, in pursuit of our happiness, as we deem fit and desire.

Equality of Consideration is what every Citizen in a Democracy rightfully demands, as his / her fundamental right from all organs of the Government (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary), with equal rights and to be treated with the same dignity and respect as others, in social, political and personal life.

Equality of Opportunity calls for the opportunity for reasonable development of our abilities and the unfettered and harmonious pursuit of our happiness and aims as we each deem fit and desirable as long as this does not conflict with the similar rights of others.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6