“An error-free world would have no penicillin, no chemotherapy… almost no drugs, and most probably no humans. This is why I have been against the state dictating to us what we ‘should’ be doing: only evolution knows if the ‘wrong’ thing is really wrong, provided there is skin in the game to allow for selection.” - Nassim Nicholas Taleb
In a world that holds individualism in such high esteem, there is a perplexing amount of emphasis being placed on homogeneity. We are told that we should celebrate our unique identities, yet only if they fit a particular level of palatability. We are shown countless examples of billionaires, pop-stars, and icons who broke the mold, yet their faces and feats all start to blend together. We elevate creativity and originality to sacred proportions, yet we can't remember the last movie that we saw that wasn't just another part of a series.
Where have all the bold thinkers gone--people who were unafraid to let their ideas and actions speak for themselves? They are assuredly still out there, but becoming lesser and lesser known. Instead, we seem to be adrift in a field of identical poppies, where fitting in is more important than standing up for what is right.
Comparison is well known to be the enemy of happiness. We are all familiar with superiority complexes (when we view ourselves as better) and inferiority complexes (when we see ourselves as lacking). But few of us are aware of equality complexes, formed by trying to see everyone as the same. None of these mindsets lead to physical or spiritual evolution. They lead towards judgement and away from courage--the courage to perceive and act in the world as it truly is.
Equality was a topic of much debate during the forming of European common law and during the historic founding of the United States. It became the mantra of the women's suffrage and civil rights movements and encompasses an extremely valid and ethical argument--all people should be entitled to the same rights. That is to say, for a civil society to prosper, we must all follow the same rules and be granted the same liberties if we follow them.
Unfortunately, it will never work out that way. If you compare society to a game, there will always be three major differences in players: 1) some are naturally more talented than others, 2) some have been playing for longer and have more resources, and 3) some are not opposed to cheating at the expense of others. Often times more than one of these differences is at play. No matter how the game is constructed, inequalities will develop.
Equity entered the lexicon during the late 20th century when governments began implementing programs like affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) campaigns into public institutions. These policies inevitably infiltrated the private sector, and the results speak for themselves. Instead of seeing a rapid proliferation of talent, like the politicians and administrators had promised, we saw a stunting of ideas and a decrease in test scores. When students and employees are selected based on anything other than merit, everyone suffers.
Underemployment over the last two generations is a testament to the failures of 'equity of outcome' (as opposed to 'equity of opportunity'). We have created the precedent that no matter how hard we study and work, we will not be rewarded. We may even be punished for standing out. Even worse, when we do find ourselves in a position of advantage, then we worry that it is the product of some governmental campaign or personal privilege--not the creation of our own spizzerinctum. We lose trust in our own ability to do anything of worth which is the quickest path to resignation.
Ironically, equity has a secondary definition that could possibly be the cure to 'tall poppy syndrome.' Equity also means ownership in something, or as Nassim Taleb is fond of saying, "skin in the game." When we invest ourselves in that which matters most, then we viscerally feel our failures. Thus, we try harder, proceed with more care, and take responsibility for our effort and our outcomes. To stand up in such a way is brutal at first. It means taking a disproportionate amount of criticism compared to praise. But criticism is a sure sign of a potential breakthrough. Every major advancement in art and science suffered the same crucible.
We find ourselves again in that field of identical poppies, but this time we notice one that grows stronger than the rest. Will we cut it down? Or will we let it grow and harvest its seeds to grow the next generation of even better flowers? We are not all created equal in terms of talents and abilities and that is not a problem. The problem is that we don't know who among us will be stand out, nor in what areas. Therefore, we should do everything in our power to provide the opportunity for that destiny to flourish, namely by reducing nepotism and discouraging parasites. People will naturally thrive if the object of the game (society) is to build our neighbors up to the highest form of humanity as possible, not cut them down to the lowest common denominator.
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