Oxford Languages
- the state of being diverse; variety.
- the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.
Why is diversity important? Please tell me in the comments section.
Is diversity a strength? Why? …comments section.
But is diversity for diversity’s sake wise? What do we gain by forcing the issue? Diverse opinions and experiences can be a strength if those wielding them choose to listen to each other. However, I don’t believe that people who look different but all think the same are stronger just because of looking different or being of varied sexual orientations.
My time in Explosive Ordnance Disposal gave me a diverse set of skills and I was surrounded by a diverse group of people. If you were to analyze the group by today’s metrics it would receive a terrible score. It was more white than anything else and mostly male. So was it racist? Fascist? Nope.
We all had different jobs in the Marine Corps before we were EOD. That diversity was indeed a strength. More skill sets and leadership from various disciplines was then applied in the small team environment where life and death was a daily question.
Should I be ashamed to be a white male in America? Nope. I can’t change how I was born, I can only choose how I act, how I change as I learn things and grow from my experiences. I become more diverse by talking with individuals different than myself and thinking through what they have to say. I don’t grow or learn by surrounding myself with people who look differently but think the same.
We all act in ignorance.
No one can know everything or everyone (and their back story). We are ignorant until we encounter something that challenges what we believe is true and then analyze the variant from our perceived truth. What we experience may confirm or challenge what we believe, but either way, it may not be truth.
Living in communities that reinforce certain values, we talk with people who confirm what we already believe. Algorithms in search engines narrow our results and push us further toward different forms of confirmation bias. We struggle to understand how those who disagree with us can remain so ignorant!
When was the last time you talked to someone who disagreed with you? We read and see things regularly that we don’t agree with and quickly dismiss them. People however, should not be easily dismissed. We need to get to know them.
I hate what you stand for.
Maybe I dislike (or disdain) what you espouse as truth but that doesn’t mean I hate you. Despite the current narrative, I don’t have to agree with what you do to appreciate who you are. I have the deepest respect for those who disagree with me, respect for them as a person, not their position. This is what I find us lacking. Respect for others as humans, members of our race – the human race.
It’s true that how you look sometimes determines how you’re treated. But that’s not always the case.
But it’s true most of the time!
Is it? How many times is it a self fulfilling prophesy when we act as though it will happen?
You don’t even know, white man… Yeah, maybe I don’t. But maybe I do. Bringing up isolated examples and arguing it, won’t change your mind so I won’t bother. But what I do know is that acting in good faith goes a long way with real people. That doesn’t apply to the culture warriors who are out to prove a point or the virtue signalers who are desperate to be seen as “the good ones.” Acting in good faith breaks down when it comes to legislation. When you expect the government to fix human nature, you’ve already lost.
I’m supposed to be reading
I’m on vacation with my family. I brought some reading material but the urge to write is constantly nagging. The reason I’m writing now is because the loudest voices seem to be those in unison demanding that we destroy fundamental aspects of our society in the name of diversity. There is a disturbing lack of diversity in the voices being highlighted.
It’s not diverse to scream down opposing opinions. It’s not diverse to silence dissenting voices. True diversity allows for disagreement. Why is the majority silent?
Do not believe that your voice is heard or understood if you’re not willing to speak in defense of your beliefs.
It is the diversity of opinion and experience that makes a group stronger – IF it is willing to discuss the ideas and come to logical conclusions and solutions.
This country was founded in blood by religious bigots. What part of their traditions should we uphold?!
Actually, most of the traditions should be revered. People make mistakes. I’ve said it before, every country has a bloody past and America is not that bloody in comparison. It’s jacked up, but all of humanity is. The concepts this country was founded on are not invalidated by the mistakes our founders made.
Truth spoken by evil people is not invalidated by their evil actions. Truth is true no matter who says it. We must separate these things. People are diverse within themselves. We have parts that are good and parts that are evil. The validity of a point we make is not predicated upon our choices, but rather the truth of the statement itself.
What I say can be crucial despite not having a degree in the subject… or a degree at all.
Drew founded Mental Grenade Jan 2020. He is a follower of Jesus Christ, a medically retired Marine, EOD Tech, writer, mountain biker, photographer, facilitator, and fly-fisherman. He seeks to bridge the civilian – military divide and bring hope through honest communication about difficult issues.
These Veteran stories of struggle, adventure, and post traumatic growth need to be heard!
Join the cause to de-stigmatize mental health issues.
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P.J.
August 22, 2023 12:31While society screams for “Diversity” in the Corporate Suite,,, those same individuals have lost all sense of civility. We have lost the method and manner to debate an idea or thought without falling into personal attacks and insults. What a shame. And what is the end game of the Diversity Strategy today? Is it the same as it was 20 years ago.
Drew
August 12, 2023 15:28There was another comment left by ?Grey Wolf? I found it in the deleted section on the admin side. I don’t know if it was supposed to be there. I tried to restore and approve it but it has since disappeared. There were some very insightful points made that I would love to have added to the discussion but for the life of me, I can’t find the comment now. If the author happens to read this- I did not delete the comment and would love for you to post it again. Thanks!
Mimi M. Routh
August 12, 2023 13:38Drew, you are such a cool dude! I thought I was the only one who realized those Puritan types (my very own ancestors, yes!) wanted religious freedom for themselves and to hell with the other guys! When I hit San Francisco in the 1970’s, “diversity” was a strong theme. It was in the air! We gloried in it! Sometimes eyes would meet and I would think isn’t this neat — this amazing mix of people! But times have changed. For one thing there is a trend toward pushing into the limelight and rewarding people who are just different, or unfortunate, or who have serious problems — but there is something back-assward about this freak show. My buddy Stuart Wilde — he’s on You-Tube and wrote lots of books — talks about sob sessions on afternoon TV with the eye make-up running and everyone crying about sad, outrageous stuff. The ego wants attention. Oprah might give them a vacation or some pricey band-aid for their sadness. We need not admire a freak! I knew a man, a USAF Lt, who had been the circus fat man — jolly in tent-size overalls, could hardly walk — and he was a proud and trim ordinary-looking white man when I knew him and got to know him. . . . These days we have a lot of folks who are so ignorant, they don’t know what they don’t know! They don’t recognize propaganda! I like to introduce an iffy idea by saying, you know, there’s a theory . . . but it takes a certain kind of person to even entertain an idea they disagree with. Try telling a Catholic priest you’re sure he was your precious baby brother in the immediate past life! Oh, of course a priest can talk around the idea, but when you get specific as I did, then it isn’t easy. Try another topic with a neighbor or co-worker . . . homosexuality or sex change. No, our different world cultures give us so many viewpoints — it’s a wonder! When my husband’s old Vietnamese girlfriend first came to this country, his mom was shocked that “she doesn’t even know how to make a bed!” No, but the mattress and quilts were nicely stacked in the corner and the floor swept. And then when Anh was left in Mickie’s big kitchen to prepare dinner, Mickie found her squatting on the floor chopping zucchini! Outrageous! Unthinkable! I was amazed to learn that many people in England wash dishes without rinsing them! . . . The physical therapist that the VA sent to my home yesterday was way late and used humor I found inappropriate. He’s Filipino. What is going on? I really am not sure of anything at this point, so I’ll go make the coffee now and see if breakfast helps at all. God bless!
P.S. Sorry for blathering.
Drew
August 12, 2023 14:57I love your comments, Mimi, never stop! I agree that diversity often causes offense because of our ignorance. Speech patterns, cultural habits, personal space, there are just so many differences that we have to stop and give others grace.
Hanlon’s razor states, “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” I think with a small adjustment we can see that cultural differences are not stupidity on the part of the actor but rather ignorance on the part of the acted upon.
Chris Reardon
August 13, 2023 14:36Concur with Mr. Ford and Chad. Great post Drew, love your balanced viewpoint!
fordmissions
August 12, 2023 12:56I will add that those who have a problem with those who do not think like they do must learn that posting demeaning memes and mocking those that think differently (even if they are truly wrong) will not win them over. And those that do so while pointing out they are Christians are not helping the cause of Christ at all. I am very much against what those we will call the Left are doing to our culture but God did not say mock, demean, and threaten sinners he said.,
“Luk 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Luk 6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Luk 6:29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
Luk 6:30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
Luk 6:31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Luk 6:32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
Luk 6:33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
Luk 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Luk 6:36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ” It takes a strong man to do that, and one that is spiritually mature. So, be in the Word daily learning the SOP for doing life so you are able to follow teachings like found in Like 6: 27-36. Also, the rRght does it’s fair share of screwing up the culture as well.
Finally, God knew how badly we would screw things up and warned us. in second Timothy.
“2Ti 3:1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2Ti 3:2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
2Ti 3:4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
2Ti 3:5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
We can all find ourselves in at least one point on this list if not more. Where you see things on this list that sound like you, work on it.
Drew
August 12, 2023 14:41Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Ford. I appreciate the knowledge drop. You’re correct, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one is perfectly righteous in their position and we would all be better off if we approached conversations with humility.
fordmissions
August 12, 2023 12:32Wow. Chad saved me a whole lot of writing. Most I what I was going to say, he said. So Ditto.
Chad Hiser
August 12, 2023 12:23When we look at the world we see diversity. Looking at diversity in science we can see a vast difference in plant, and animal life.
Diversity when we compare the science and the Bible we can see that God created diversity. He created diversity in animal and plant life, and in humankind with gender in how He made us male and female.
Mark 10:6 “ “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’”
Then we see another moment when God created diversity in language at the Tower of Babel.
Genesis 11:9 “ “Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.”
Over a vast amount of time as a result different cultures, races, and dialects have resulted from this.
Diversity is part of being human. God loves and delights in the differences in us.
In the Book of Revelation we see the gathering of various people.
Revelation 7:9 “ “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.”
Those around God’s throne with the words from Revelation 5:9 “ “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
Unfortunately in our modern culture diversity has become it’s own god. Diversity has become revered rather God who creates diversity. Today because the focus is on diversity the things that gets most attention is our differences. But God is concerned with unity.
Ephesians 4:3 “ “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Galatians 3:28 “ “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
We have to be willing to be humbled before God and set our diversity aside for unity in spirit.
John 17:22 “ “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.”
This means to accept Christ and be born and set aside our fleshly differences become secondary to our new nature in Christ.
John 3:3 “ “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””
When this happens we become unified together in God’s word, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Ephesians 4:5 “ “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
Diversity is a good thing and it comes from God, but diversity must not become a god. We must turn to the creator of all things as the only God Jesus Christ and place everything else in its proper position as secondary to worshipping the Creator.
Drew
August 12, 2023 14:29Amen! Thanks Chad. I always appreciate when you weigh in.