Diversity Of What

Groups selected by color, faith, and ethnicity, are reliably made up of the same personalities as all the other groups.

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There seems to be confusion about the meaning of the word diversity.

In former times, diversity described disparate parts lumped together without their permission. There was always an element of disagreement inherent in the word. These days that former understanding of diversity has been turned on its head.

Now, diversity, is widely believed to be the best of all arrangements.

If that were true, the former Yugoslavia would have been the best of all possible worlds.

In the natural world - as opposed to the academic world – birds-of-a-feather prefer to flock together. It’s an exclusive inclination that has proved harmonious from time immemorial.

Of course, these days we know better.

Forcing communion between people and things that would rather not be together will certainly expand the horizons of all. They’ll get used to it. Hearts will be expanded along with minds. Or, perhaps, the disparate groups will adjust to the lowest common denominator between them.

Sinking is always easier than rising.

How wonderful the colors of the rainbow. Wouldn’t they be even more wonderful when mixed together.

I’m not so sure about that. I once saw a huge number of colored balloons launched together. The multi-colored balloons rose as one, then, due to grouping and distance they transformed into a shapeless penumbra of unpleasant brown.

Mixing colors is best left to artists rather than politically correct sociologists.

As Robert Burns has written, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft a’ gley”.

A large part of the problem is that diversity of color has been assumed to be diversity of thought. That’s partially true, but not reliably true. More often, groups selected by color, faith, and ethnicity, are reliably made up of the same personalities as all the other groups.

The real differences between groups are differences of culture. Different cultures believe different things to be true, right, and proper. I can’t think of any time when birds-of-a-feather decided to change their fledging.

As soon as the communist dictator, Tito, was removed from Yugoslavia, the artificial country split into Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Diversity would be a great idea if only the square pegs wouldn’t make such a fuss about being pounded into round holes.

By K. L. Shipley

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