lunes, 25 de agosto de 2008
Is Equality Equal?
How is the conception of equality related to basic forms of commercial life such as the commodity and money and the social roles of buyer, seller, and wage-laborer? Do capitalist social forms inevitably produce tension around equality by spreading an anti-aristocratic ideology of equality, egalitarianism, that can provoke movements for social equality such as the civil rights movement or the feminist movement, while at the same time continually creating inequalities (at least of income and wealth)? Might the reliance in the story on the government to enforce equality point to such an irresolvable tension?
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This is a little confusing, but, being an activist myself, I know that equaliity can create tension, especially when the government has such a strong hold on it. With every equal law passed, there is something that reacts to that, sometimes negatively, sometimes positively. The capitalistic system garinteees winners and losers, and that can spread tension around equal right activists in some areas like stopping poverty, equal income, or other such things. Nothing can always be equal with disrupting something else, although I guess the author has found a simple, disturbing way to fix that problem.
Equality seems like a balance. Like evil existing because good exists, white versus black like in the ying yang. There is no way to find equality without having to take away from someone to let others have things. Like in the story, where people who were above average where given handicaps which meant they weren't allowed to be all they could be just so that the people that were not so good could have the same opportunities. But that is unfair. Its like in communism, why should I work hard if either way those that are lazy will get the same as me? Equality is not equal. To achieve it you must push others down, take away from them so that others may rise and gain something.
Equality creates tension. It's as simple as that. We are a capitalistic society. Capitalism, like Amy said, guarantees winners and losers. Some get the profit and some do the dirty work. That's how it is in practice and in theory. Equality is a nice thought, but is it really possible? What are we, humans, going to have to give up to be "equal"?
Ideologically, this would be known as Communism. Everyone works the same, everyone gets the same. Again, its a really nice thought. I personally like Marxism-Communism but its not possible. Humans are a greedy, narcissistic species by nature. Everything creates something good and something bad. We have a tendency of looking on the "brighter side" because, like Amy said again, "With every equal law passed, something reacts to that, sometimes negatively, sometimes positively."
I have to agree with sergio, Equality does create tension. I remember when we studied the roaring 20s. I remember seeing a picture of a town and all the houses were the same. Same color, same space, same gardens, etc. Later on, neighbors started competing. Who had the best refrigirator, techonology, who had the best car, who had the best house, ect.
I guess equality is equal but just for a short while, afterwards, i guess, everyone gets bored and tired of everyone having the same thing.
Its like you buy this shirt that you really like and you think that it really sets you apart from others. The next day, everyone is wearing the same shirt you bought. If that happened to me, i would never wear it again.
The best humanity will ever achieve is just peace. There will never be equality because equality creates tension which sets people off and there will always, always be someone who will not like their share in life. But the truth is everyone is a good part of the economy and we need every single type of people at the numerous jobs to carry on with life. But some people won't like their spot if we use communism and they might revolt turning into what could possibly become yet another war.
Well, equality would be nice, but let's face it...
We live in a capitalist world, where man has to succeed in life by his own will power. Even if speeches by powerful people start out with "we are all equal," there is tension created by the government itself. Nothing in this world can change the views of the people who have power and the people who don't. Either you are rich or you are poor.
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