One of the many issues that society faces these days is a lack of depth. So much of what is around us is superficial, with appearance not just the most important thing but the only thing. From leaders to marketers, celebrities to influencers, the image is king or queen. It matters little what goes on under the surface as long as others see you as you want to be seen.
This is very unfortunate for many reasons. Many of the severe problems we face cannot be solved simply by spinning reality to how we would like it to look. Indeed, failing to acknowledge that there is even an issue because it might damage a reputation can often mean that the problem has no chance of being solved. It is always easier to sweep the dust under the carpet than to properly clean it up or, even better, eliminate the cause of the dust in the first place.
Our Differences Are Enormous
Many people still seem to have no understanding of how different we are from one another. We recognise superficial differences in appearance, and we can cope with differences in favourite foods or sports teams that we follow. But the differences between us run much deeper than that. What is more, this is a very good thing and probably vital for the future of humanity.
That is not to say that we should negatively use our differences. I abhor the current practice of stoking up divisions between groups and fostering hate based on characteristics, be it about race, gender, sexuality or even political views. This destructive use of differences has to stop. Disagreement and constructive debate is healthy and vital – it does not have to be reduced to slogans and dog whistles. We can be united and move forward together while celebrating and embracing our differences, not using them to pit people against each other.
If you think of any single aspect of you, be it a preference, something you like or detest, a view, a mindset or an aspiration, there are people in the world who are different in that respect. This can be an incredibly hard concept to grasp.
How Lack of Understanding of Difference Begins
When we are born and start to develop, our natural mental assumption is that we see and experience the world like everyone else. If I see a strawberry and am told that it is red, I assume that everyone else sees red as I do. But we have no way of ever knowing that this is the case. Indeed, we know for certain that it is not because some people are proven to be colour-blind. Now, apply this principle to absolutely everything else that you think, feel, or experience.
I used to find it incredibly frustrating when I met adults who had failed to grasp the idea that others may not want the same things as they do. Who thought so narrowly that anything that was not done their way was wrong. That they had a monopoly on the truth. Now I feel sorry for them. When you shut yourself off from alternate views and ideas, it is ultimately your loss, not that of others.
Differences Equal Progress
We are delighted to embrace difference when it is of obvious benefit to us. Think of whatever device you are reading this on. How many of us have the knowledge, capability, or intelligence to construct even a tiny part of that technology? Yet somewhere, a team of people devised and designed every last part of it and made sure that it worked as intended. Every day, we use inventions, products and services that we would never have come up with on our own. We are delighted that others are different to use when we get in our car or on the bus instead of walking everywhere!
If we were all the same, we would probably not have made it far beyond living in caves as hunter-gatherers. So often, significant breakthroughs, like electricity, the computer, and probably even fire and the wheel, come from people who are very different from most others. Yet, we are still quick to persecute the differences that we depend on for our survival as humans.
Difference is the Future
We need to encourage much more significant expression of difference and enable everyone to be their authentic selves because that is when we all get to use our talents and ideas to their fullest extent. As soon as you put people into boxes and tell them to conform to some sort of expectations, you start to limit creativity and innovation. That can not be good in any way.
I am not calling for a complete free for all. Society has to operate along some system, and laws are necessary because there will always be those who cannot grasp the concept that they are entitled to just do and take whatever they want, regardless of the consequences. But we must lose the expectation that we are all essentially the same. We are not, nor should we be, but we must all stop trying to make everybody else fit in with our personal worldview. We do not have to understand a difference to celebrate and embrace it.
I am incredibly grateful that there are experts and highly talented people in all areas where I have no ability at all. I love listening to music, even though I know I will never have more than a basic ability to make it myself. Let us appreciate these beautiful differences that make us who we are and use them to spark greater progress for our common good.
We need to stop putting each other into boxes for our own convenience. In fact, we need to get rid of all these boxes altogether. We all belong in an individual category of one – the unique, wonderful, beautiful individual that we each are. You are more wildly different from the next person than you can probably ever grasp, but that is not something to fear; it is something to celebrate.