On Diversity Month 2022

The committee who selected April as Diversity Month apparently made a smart choice–at least by outward appearances. April in the Northern Hemisphere is all about the bursting forth of variety. Plants are budding, birds abound, and people spend more time outdoors. Exuberance and rebirth spring forth in abundance.

When we mindfully stroll in the park or in the wilderness, we take in the wealth of animals and plants that live there. By extension, we might encounter various people along the way. Some are gregarious and others keep to themselves. Depending upon where we walk, it’s possible to see people of every social category. Diversity is the manifestation of the richness of the world. I feel grateful for the wide diversity of things and people around us.

There is a psychological personality trait that I find interesting. It’s called “openness to experience”. Folks who rank high on the openness to experience scale crave variety, travel, novelty, new ideas, and diversity. People who rate low on that scale prefer things that are safe, predictable, and familiar. Most of us are mentally somewhere between these two definitions. For example, a person might enjoy new things yet want a safe haven from the hubbub of society. Someone else might prefer the security of the tried and true, while concentrating her energies on intellectual interests.

Then we have the hot-button type of diversity that remains politically controversial. This mainly concerns diversity of belief, types of people, exclusivity, and inclusivity. The acceptance and rejection of these types of diversity have ebbed and flowed throughout history. Lately, acceptance of true diversity in the public sphere has been eroding over the past decade while the vangard seeks out ways to promote it.

Although society has always been comprised of diverse types of people, it is less present in certain powerful institutions. Thankfully, from time to time, individuals break through “glass ceilings” in business, government, sports, and other endeavors. Such people are the true mavericks of our civilization. These trailblazers help open the way for others to grow and succeed in society.

There is one step beyond tolerating diversity. That is the matter of inclusion. There are entire cultures and subcultures who live basic experiences exactly like those in the majority culture. Their stories are just as dynamic and relateable as anyone’s. Understanding that everybody possesses similar needs and wants is empathy. Granting everybody a place at the table is compassion. The acceptance of diversity and the ability to live together in harmony through inclusivity are two of society’s major struggles.

Understanding the dynamic of diversity goes a long way towards practicing acceptance. After all, diversity of culture and ideas have always reinforced the strength of every major civilization. We need this strength in order to endure and thrive as a species.

Namaste

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes actor, playwright, and screenwriter, Harvey Fierstein. “It would be nice to redefine ourselves–at the moment we are drowning in diversity. That’s not a bad thing, its just going to take a while before we refocus.”