How would you define "equality"?

It's a word I hear thrown around a lot. Equality.

What exactly is it though? For example, saying men and women are equal can mean two things.

The first thing it could mean is they are equal under the law, and are entitled to equal rights. Any intelligent person would agree with that.

The second thing it would mean is there aren't any differences between men and women, which is just ridiculous.

Now with race, I would say there is no difference in how they think - the differences are extremely superficial and definitely aren't relevant in any way to what rights are entitled. It's generally very little things like tiny differences in bone structure, different amounts of melanin in the skin, blood type, etc.

To me, equality is about making the rights of individuals a standard that applies equally to everyone. It's not about denial of differences or communism.

To me it means we are equal under the law, we all should have the same opportunities to fail or succeed. Also we should be treated as equals. I don't want to get into a huge long post, but you can't legislate morality, but you can legislate equal opportunity.

love is the law, love under will

why?

Our will should be guided by the true vibration of love.

There's no such thing.

As long as everyone is allowed to keep the liberty they are born with they'll be as equal as is possible.

Unfortunately, nobody is allowed to keep their liberty and we have layers and layers of government going out of their way to ensure equality never enters the field. By mandating this perception of "equality" government is in effect making things less "equal" by the minute.

For me liberty grants equality. For government authoritarianism and control create equality, albeit a fanciful and imaginary equality.

"Equality" is an illusion.

We can never expect equality in a world where people are encouraged to judge one another.

We could have virtual equality, if the right of judgment were not restricted to a certain class or certain power.

Equality is: not having special interest groups, ie the NAACP or special "Government guidelines" for hiring,ie. Affirmative action, Not overcharging any group of individuals simply because their sex, race, or religion, and NOT letting ANY group use racial/religious slurs, etc. We all come into this world with nothing and from that have to struggle to be something, it's not fair that anybody should have a better chance than anyone else, simply because of quotas needing to be met or the color of your skin getting yur education paid for. Everyone should progress according to their merit, not by anything else. PERIOD.

I also offer a philosophical question - what is a better world, a world where everyone is equal, but life sucks for everyone, or a world where things are skewed, and life is awesome for some people and okay but not sucky for others?

reply to post by Donnie Darko


I would rather not live in some dystopic "we're all equally miserable" place. If we're all made equally miserable by force that would negate any possibility of happiness and kill "hope" and motivation.

Have you seen or read Harrison Bergeron? The links are in my sig. It's roght on point with this thread. The movie is about 90 minutes but you can get through the short story in 15 or so.

I'll post it. It's right on point with the topic.

Google Video Link

[edit on 23-6-2009 by thisguyrighthere]

Interesting. I mean, I totally support equality as a principle for the recognition of rights, but as Communism proved, equality is NOT goodness in itself.

Recently, upon looking further into human rights and civil rights, I have come to a grim conclusion about equality.

It's a myth. And will never happen. And I am not talking about any single issue, but in all issues. The reasons for this are very clear. Like minded people will always convene together in order to oppress the rights and opinions of another group.

This is simply human nature. We are still tribes people, we've simply changed the scenery. One set of rules for everybody is never going to work. Not only will it not work, but it will only lead to civil distress, and government control.

I don't have the answers on how to solve the problem, I don't really think there is a solution, other than there being a universal understanding, not law followed by all people.

As far as the OP's question. If I were to define equality, it would be that all citizens respect the views, faiths, and values of their fellow brethren.

~Keeper

Originally posted by tothetenthpower Like minded people will always convene together in order to oppress the rights and opinions of another group.

Not necessarily true. I have no desire to control, oppress, or really any desire to have anything to do with anyone. I don't think Libertarians are hiding some secret oppressive agenda either. Though I could be mistaken.

Too many people do feel this way though. Either they have some warped, twisted sense of superiority based on some trait like pigment or religion or they have some deluded self-righteous perspective they feel it is their duty to impose on the world like a gun ban or minimum wage or diet restrictions.

I dont know where this urge to control and oppress came from but I certainly don't have it. I just want to be left the hell alone and do my best to leave everyone else the hell alone.

reply to post by Donnie Darko


You can celebrate and appreciate the differences, while still giving equal opportunity. Wanna be a SAHM? wonderful, thank you for contributing. Wanna reserach cancer? wonderful, thank you for contributing.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


I certainly believe that you do not have such an agenda friend. I am also a Libertarian at heart.

But the fact remains there will always be a minority of people who will either, oppress the ones they can, or rise up and cause distress to have themselves heard.

You can't please everybody, that's the rule of the universe.

~Keeper