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Equality - what is it?

Lotus

I've always thought it would be good to have a more equal society. I don't understand why people think it's ok for some to be rich due to inherited wealth or because of the family they were born into or what school they attended or because they got 'famous'. I also don't understand why most people just seem to accept the fact that there is such a huge discrepancy between the highest paid and lowest paid workers. 

I'm a bit of a weirdo politics wise - I strongly support freedom and personal choice & independence, but I'm also a socialist in many ways as I believe a society should take care of its vulnerable members and I also like the idea of cooperatives and nationalised industries, where many benefit rather than a select few. I don't want to get into a politics debate, this is just to explain what some of my beliefs and ideas are behind my ponderings.

I know it's difficult to determine exactly what is meant by a fair and equal society. Is it fair that a doctor gets paid more than a builder? We need doctors, but we also need homes. Is it fair that someone gets paid loads because they are intelligent and got a law degree, while someone else with a lower IQ works two minimum wage jobs to just barely make ends meet? Should everyone be paid the same rate per hour?  Is it ok for some to live in tiny cramped flats while others live in huge houses and some have multiple homes?

I'm not expecting anything to change - I've accepted that the world is what it is. But just as a theoretical exercise, if human society were to be re-started how would you structure it to make things more equal? Or do you think there shouldn't be equality - that some should be rewarded more for things like having a degree or being skilled at acting or playing a sport?

Parents
  • Lotus said:
    I'm not expecting anything to change - I've accepted that the world is what it is

    There goes much of your solution. The vast majority of people think similarly. Did Gandhi not say, "Be the change you want to see in the world", or something similar? 

    From my perspective, it is impossible to achieve any form of equality after the 'property is theft' discussion and even more impossible once capitalism is unleashed. Biologically, the species is hardwired for perseverance.

Reply
  • Lotus said:
    I'm not expecting anything to change - I've accepted that the world is what it is

    There goes much of your solution. The vast majority of people think similarly. Did Gandhi not say, "Be the change you want to see in the world", or something similar? 

    From my perspective, it is impossible to achieve any form of equality after the 'property is theft' discussion and even more impossible once capitalism is unleashed. Biologically, the species is hardwired for perseverance.

Children
  • in reply to Bored and irritable
    Bored and irritable said:
    There goes much of your solution. The vast majority of people think similarly. Did Gandhi not say, "Be the change you want to see in the world", or something similar? 

    What will make it very hard for most autists is our lack of "spoons" to be able to deal with the extra hassle that being the change brings with it.

    Many of us struggle with changes to routine, conflict or trauma which makes us particularly poor at being that change.

    For most I suspect that simply being alive and accepting some of the way the world is will be as much as they can aspire to.

    Bored and irritable said:
    From my perspective, it is impossible to achieve any form of equality

    Fundamentally we are not equal though. Men and women are physically and pysiologically different so cannot be truly qual. Autists and NTs have very different was of experiencing the same environment meaning we cannot be equal. An old man and a teenage boy are also very different in their capabilities through their physical body and experience so they cannot be equal.

    The list goes on.

    In life we can only really hope for fair, not equal in the vast majority of things.