In America everybody is of the opinion that he has no social superiors, since all men are equal, but he does not admit that he has no social inferiors, for, from the time of Jefferson onward, the doctrine that all men are equal applies only upwards, not downwards.
—Bertrand Russell
Yes, there is that.
November 13, 2017
This is too complex a problem. There are many differences, in terms of, colour, caste, religion, class, language, geography, appearances etc, and over riding all that will be gender. We are simply incapable of being a species capable of accepting differences. Heart of heart, we all want to associate with only our kind in marriage, and other social interactions.
Wanting to associate with “our kind” is different from treating others as somehow less human. For instance, the Europeans and the people in their colonies.
I know my view is too simplistic always. it really is.
I try to be intellectual about things but I always go back to just the individual basis of it all.
I think of the two little boys in kindergarten. the one wanted to have a buzz cut so he would look just like his best friend… and they both laughed… thinking then that the teacher couldn’t tell them apart!
one was white and one was black.
that is the beauty of it all. if we just didn’t have to lose that as we grew up.
not to mention all the other opposites that feel inferior or superior…
always rich or poor. educated or uneducated. cultured or crude.
the list goes on and on.
all in the eyes of that particular beholder!
We’re all a bunch of nuts. Even when I was a kid it didn’t make sense to me that some people thought they were so much better than others. Yes, there are differences, but compared to the size of the universe we’re all incredibly small and ridiculous for taking ourselves so seriously
I think Bertrand Russell is talking nonsense. Of course people are unequal, and they realise that all too well. They certainly recognise those at the bottom of the heap who are especially unequal. The idea that men are equal is a laudable sentiment, but it doesn’t apply in real life and probably never will.
Well, Nick, there is always a first. And you are the first in my long and wasteful life to have the audacity to suggest that “Bertrand Russel is talking nonsense”. Why not read the quote again? And reflect on it. Not least in the wake of Jean’s recent, and rather poignant, posts on America.
U
I’m with Ursula. I loved the quote, especially because we Americans are always preaching to the world about human rights and have an abysmal record here at home.
Tammy j, I love your story! Says so much about humanity. This is a thought to chew on, Jean, as we start our week. Thanks!
I’m afraid I don’t think all kindergartners feel that way. One of the saddest stories I’ve ever read was by the mother of an African American preschooler. The little girl was slathering on (white) face cream because she wanted to be white and pretty.
but it was assumed “men were equal” as long as it was within your own “circle” – and there weren’t many circles if you were Bernard Shaw or other significant figure. Those outside the circle were not seen, they may have been heard but they were just like an insect, step upon them – and they are gone.
Look at the people who tried to step across into those circles, they became outcasts – often taking that “seemingly equal” person with them
sometimes even in our current age, we still here this in the form of “your elders know better” – elders can come from any format – the leader from many angles…
How many of us know that outcast often known as “the black sheep” of the family/firm/other?
The Declaration of lndependence was more about being equal under the law. That’s why the first ten amendments were the Bill of Rights. In practice our justice system has a lot of prejudice, and Civil Asset Forfeiture is greatly abused, not just against African Americans.
I was taught to not see color or class as different. We played with all the children in our very mixed school and neighborhood. Thus, I did not even recognize until many years later that the little girl across the street never played with the one next door. Nor did I realize that being invited to play at the homes of all my classmates was something special. After all, they were all my friends, right?
That’s good. Too rare, I’m afraid. Our small town was mostly working class, so there wasn’t class prejudice. My family was prejudiced against African Americans, Jews, “Mexicans”, etc. and they were upset when I had African American friends in high school. I was aware at the time that those friends wouldn’t have the advantages I had in college and careers, and I thought it was unfair.
An excellent quote. My father was a professor who was alway inviting over international students, so we were indoctrinated to respect all races, but not exposed much to classes other than our own.
High quality TV and movies can be a great way to understand and even identify with people different from ourselves.