How to bring about equality

Oasis

Equality has been the corner stone of modern civilisation. The founding principle of all democracies and egalitarian nations is to attain equal rights and privileges for all its citizens. The modern world has supported political systems which promote equality for all in its societies. Offering the same liberties to all people irrespective of lineage, status, religion, caste and creed is at the heart of any just land.

Yet, the reality today is quite the opposite. Despite the abolition of segregation and other laws to check inequality, disparity continues to mar our world. The haves and the have-nots, the educated and the illiterate, the strong and the weak all have their pecking order in our societies. This has resulted in continued exploitation of the poor by the rich, the illiterate by the literate and the weak by the strong.

This unfair scenario can however be altered by a paradigm shift in the thinking of the rich, educated and strong. The rich should reconsider their wealth and question their riches. For instance, they should ponder over how poor their thinking is and on whether they are really rich on the inside? Bearing in mind that poverty is more a state of mind than that of one’s purse, the rich ought to understand that they are not much superior to the poor after all.

Likewise, the educated would do well to recognise that despite their knowledge they may indeed be very ignorant. Will they be able to clarify, for example, what the real meaning and purpose of life is for the human person? Could they consider themselves to be wise and evolving? Even the great Aristotle famously said, “All that I know is that I know nothing!”

And finally, the strong should understand that they need not - and in fact cannot - remain strong all the time. History is replete with a long list of so-called strong men and women who have fallen for the allurements of the material world. There are many weak moments even for the strongest of people.

Thus, the belief that some, based on riches and education and strength are superior to others is folly. The gaps among us are only perceived. The moment we relinquish our hubris and realise this truth, we would have brought about equality and mutual respect.