Strength in Diversity

There will be some that look to the stars, a sum that look inwards, others will look into the eyes of their peers, a few that inspect the layers we walk on – strangers that create from what we cannot see with our eyes. And these are the diverse directions that we look. With our innate desires we navigate the map of our planet in alignment with the graph of Time, which has infinite axis.

Although sounding pleasing and inviting a sense of camaraderie, upon closer inspection these diverse directions create the ground for some rather uncomfortable encounters. What we choose to do is of course influenced by many factors but if we, from an outside perspective, want to understand others, observable and recordable data would be a good way to at least reach into the pocket of empathy and sprinkle some of its dust. Thus we land on intrinsic biological personality and desires. Your personality, how i would define it is ‘the due efforts needed to behave in a particular manner in a particular circumstance’ and it is this that i think creates for some snappy conversations and interactions.

Say a man finds it hard summon the will power to go socialise with his friends consistently, he is reserved in his expressions and he is the most comfortable in his space alone – we may then, with reasonable assumption, say that he is introverted. He is biologically set to be an introvert, he did not choose his desires and preferences, if it was a matter of choice then i’m sure he would have a handy on-off switch synapse. That then allowed him to be as enthusiastic and prosocial to then the next moment being reserved, timid and wanting to be in a dark room alone.

Now that we can see that our desires are not all necessarily a matter of choice, this gives a strong backing to why our heart may race and sweat to be secreted upon hearing someone challenging your lifestyle. Or even coming to a disagreement about political matters, favourite sports team, philosophy on love. All of these things we can learn and develop as we mature, yes, but the link to disagreement isn’t so much the exact details of the policies we think should have more funding, if the Lakers are the greatest team of all time and if you think love is just a chemical. It is profoundly wrong to believe that it is the details the cause friction, due to so many of our debates and channels of communication being ultimately a matter of subjectivity. It is because the other person (another differing, complex creature) see’s the world different to how you see it.

The word algorithm is incredibly important as Yoval Harari highlighted in Homo Deus. Information is received, processed through billions of electrical impulses and then manifested into a action, and in our case this happens in fractions of a second. We navigate the world with a different lens to each other, we all may be remarkably similar in our behaviours by sum but we are uniquely unique, meaning that whilst we are different in comparison to any other creature, within our own species we also fluctuate in many areas. Why it is so hard to convince some to see things from your perspective is because their capacity to use your lens is hindered by the fact they’re trying to see your lens through their own. And it is shown to be a mountainous problem to try submit your view just to use someone else’s, the will power it takes to really put yourself in someone else’s shoes in an area where you both have the biggest difference in perspective is extremely hard. As creatures we interact with everything we can absorb, and what helps determine these unique timelines we all have is that something influences how you react to certain happenings. Being your personality. Usually your personality will manifest in your behaviours because most of the time you will do the things that it is the easiest for you to do. Not implying that you are comfortable doing so but highlighting what you’re most inclined to say/not say do/not do.

Now, its not all doom and gloom, the problems we face are not unsolvable, because upon closer inspection when we have a problem or there is a problem involving another, it means that another party is needed as neither or just yourself are unequipped to solve the problem. Which is why there is strength in diversity. Yes it can cause for some fricticious engagements but that friction ignites the fire that fuels our ever increasingly quick speed of progression. Jordan Peterson said ” Conservatives and Liberals need each other.” He is in context showing that each end gives a reason to hate the other and feel moral superiority but with recognition of the utility of co-operation through first acknowledging that the other party that you’re hearing may know something you do not, thus engaging listening, functioning, respectful groups. The Liberals are known to have many individuals in high trait openness which means they’re are typically more creative, they can create new ideas, alternative thinking is what they can provide. The conservatives showing an abundance in industrious and orderly people can then apply regime and routed behaviours without getting lost in the creation of new innovation. This is why there is strength in diversity. It may run down to the cliche of everybody adds something, but it is better morphed into everybody can add something. But we sure need to let go of our stances on that our position and perspectives are superior, as if we encounter problems it means we do not have the answers on how to fix them or they would never manifest into problems at all.

The answer to harnessing the colours of the human personality to create a picture where we all enjoy the view is possibly not possible but what is possible is that we can create something that we all enjoy to see at times because we know that even seeing something we dont agree with, we know that someone else out there can help us fix that problem. Somewhere amongst the idea of communities the solution may lay and education too, its just important to remember that even when we make improvements for the sake of everyone, some will still be upset by nature, we just need to instil in others and keep in mind that we need each other to be prosperous. Become a content fire breathing dragon.

Surrender your position as the objective gate keeper and look to resolve for peace even when looking into the eyes of the devil as you know he knows more about hell than you do.

The Marriage of Peleus and Thetis – Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael 1610