diversity on all levels

works best for all parties.

It is rather strange to observe the wide range of tactics humans can come up with, to discriminate against, choke off, censor and block, anyone who in any way, shape or form appears to be different from them­selves and/or disturb their self-image.

It is as if any deviation from some kind of “accepted group-norm” represents an imminent danger, and requires action to passify, punish or eliminate everyone who doesn't fit whatever “norm” one happens to be a follower of – by choice or through pressure.

Why do humans continue to indis­crimi­nately divide each others up in “us and them”, and construct conflicts and declare wars to eliminate opposition?
How many new feuds and millions of losers do humanity really need? Haven't we got better things to do with our short lives?

If everyone everywhere looked, thought and acted like me, the world would be a very boring place indeed.

checks and balances

The bigger the pool the better, but only if diversity is not only accepted, but promoted in such a way that everyone can, and of course also is willing to, keep adding something of value and help keep the pool (read: 'community') fresh with new ideas and solutions.
Everybody stands to gain in such a scenario.

On the other hand: when everyone has to conform to “accepted group-norms” – written and unwritten rules and regulations – in order to be accepted, what we end up with is lots of stagnant and smelly pools.
Everybody stands to lose – it is just a matter of time.

Most pools start out seemingly fresh, but once its inhabitants start feeling comfort­able and settle in to “the way things are”, and “norms” get introduced to keep it that way, mud starts to accumulate and choke off life as we know it. That's how societies wither and die.

Enforcing changes on a society tends to have the same effect, as altered conditions creates conflicts and tear down the (mental) fabric that holds communities together. Without a minimum of common ground people start working against each others instead of for each others. The sense of cooperation for a common good gets lost, and entire societies simply fall apart.

History tells us that regardless of whether politics, religions, economics, race, customs, traditions, habits or laws are used as base to set “norms”, the above holds true.
Will we ever learn?

sensible discrimination

Being able to dis­crim­i­nate based on what makes most sense for oneself over time, is important in a world saturated with noise and agression. However, it doesn't make much sense to become single-minded – lock on to one view forever and stubbornly stay ignorant to, or in denial of, all else.

Flexibility is a neces­sity in day to day life, and a solid dose of pragma­tism doesn't hurt either. Knowledge helps with both, and we can only get so much of that in schools.

Remember that dis­crim­i­nation doesn't have to be about taking a stand for or against anyone or anything. It is just a necessary technique that all humans apply day in and day out anyway, so we may as well take advantage of it.

Everybody has the right to speak, but nobody is, or can be, required to listen to everybody, or to anybody for that matter. We simply cannot afford to have “open channels” to all that goes on everywhere all the time – it would overwhelm us, so we all select and make decisions all day long. In short: we dis­crim­i­nate.

Sensible dis­crim­i­nation is what lets each of us stay who we are as individuals, while allowing us all to take full advantage of the fact that not everyone in our communities is like us, carry the same knowledge, or is equally proficient in various areas.

fear nothing, not even fear itself

Fear may serve its purpose the moment something bad is about to happen, but fear should never be allowed to cement itself into our minds. Being fearful is not a useful emotional state to be in, and it most certainly doesn't deserve to be nurtured and kept alive.

As most sources for lasting fear are pretty unclear – most people just fear the unknown, one should either get informed and do something about those sources of fear, or ignore the fear they cause.

Fear is a powerful weapon in the hands of unscru­pulous people who want to be in control of our lives. Terrorism thrives on fear, and, without the ability to incite fear, terrorists got next to nothing in their arsenal.

Wondering who are behind the various sources of fear? Zoom in on those individuals and groups who got most to gain by us being fearful and most to lose if we aren't. They can be found everywhere, so it is wise not to limit our search to declared terrorists and their organisations.
Do not forget to look very closely at those who claim they only want to protect us from whatever it is we supposedly fear. These “protectors” risk ending up being side­lined, without power, purposes and positions, if we have no fear…

harmful agendas

There will always be some – individuals or small groups belonging to self-declared elites or other criminal fractions – who tries to set the agenda (for everyone but themselves) in the larger groups they manage to infiltrate and dominate.

These “leaders” with harmful agendas are easily recognized by anyone with reasonable good historical knowledge and brain­power, in that they play groups of people up against each other in every way possible, and won't them­selves add anything of value.
They are only in it to empower and enrich them­selves, at what­ever cost to others. They will sacrify even their closest and most loyal followers without hesitation or regrets, when­ever it suits their personal agendas.

A game of lies, deceit, distractions and cover-ups, is the trademark of rising “leaders” with harmful agendas. Once in position, easily forgotten promises, temporary depen­den­cies, shifting loyalties, and both veiled and unveiled threats, become main tools to keep them there.
We can track these “leaders” by observing how their loyal followers quickly run out of factual arguments for why they support them, and in how laws are written and (often brutally) enforced to protect them in their “God given” positions.

People without harmful agendas in leading positions throughout history, are so rare that we can write most stories about such creatures off as fiction and myths. The few that have been the real deal deserve a special place in human history, which they rarely ever have gotten.
Again, will we ever learn from history?

be happy, and in control

In the midst of diversity, each of us must stay in control of our own lives. Leaving control to others is like asking for trouble and total chaos, and why on earth should sensible people from any walk of life want that?

While each of us only have to accept and tolerate what serves us personally, we also have to extend the same right to others. Even those we don't like or agree with do deserve a space of their own, but there is no reason for us to let them into our spaces if we don't want to.

Being able to apply free will in all life's situations, is what it is all about. And, as long as that extends to each and every one of us – with the indisputable limitations that follows absolute equality, we can salute diversity and carry on with our lives in relative peace and harmony.
Now, given what human history should have taught us, is that even possible?

sincerely  georg; sign

Hageland 24.aug.2017
last rev: 29.aug.2017



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